Sample records for evaluation interim review

The Family Independence Project (FIP) InterimReview Project in Washington was mounted in order to give preliminary information on the progress of the FIP program compared to Assistance for Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) site activity, for management planning, and to document short-term outcomes and trends for policy considerations. A…

Final Design Review Report for the FFTF Interim Storage Cask. The Interim Storage Cask (ISC) will be used for long term above ground dry storage of FFTF irradiated fuel in Core Component Containers (CCC)s. The CCC has been designed and will house assemblies that have been sodium washed in the IEM Cell. The Solid Waste Cask (SWC) will transfer a full CCC from the IEM Cell to the RSB Cask Loading Station where the ISC will be located to receive it. Once the loaded ISC has been sealed at the RSB Cask Loading Station, it will be transferred by facility crane to the DSWC Transporter. After the ISC has been transferred to the Interim Storage Area (ISA), which is yet to be designed, a mobile crane will be used to place the ISC in its final storage location.

This interimreview of the Youth Employment and Demonstration Projects Act (YEDPA) youth programs focuses on five topics through which were considered the universe of need, program experience, and policy recommendations. Chapter 1 is an introduction which briefly describes the law itself, including summaries of its major parts. It also discusses…

The binational Eulerian Model Evaluation Field Study (EMEFS) consisted of several coordinated data gathering and model evaluation activities. In the EMEFS, data were collected by five air and precipitation monitoring networks between June 1988 and June 1990. Model evaluation is continuing. This interim report summarizes the progress made in the evaluation of the Regional Acid Deposition Model (RADM) and the Acid Deposition and Oxidant Model (ADOM) through the December 1990 completion of a State of Science and Technology report on model evaluation for the National Acid Precipitation Assessment Program (NAPAP). Because various assessment applications of RADM had to be evaluated for NAPAP, the report emphasizes the RADM component of the evaluation. A protocol for the evaluation was developed by the model evaluation team and defined the observed and predicted values to be used and the methods by which the observed and predicted values were to be compared. Scatter plots and time series of predicted and observed values were used to present the comparisons graphically. Difference statistics and correlations were used to quantify model performance. 64 refs., 34 figs., 6 tabs.

The purpose of this study was to identify and provide an evaluation of interim storage facilities and potential facility locations for the vitrified high-level waste (HLW) from the Phase I demonstration plant and Phase II production plant. In addition, interim storage facilities for solidified separated radionuclides (Cesium and Technetium) generated during pretreatment of Phase I Low-Level Waste Vitrification Plant feed was evaluated.

The World Health Organization's Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System meets twice a year to generate a recommendation for the composition of the seasonal influenza vaccine. Interim vaccine effectiveness (VE) estimates provide a preliminary indication of influenza vaccine performance during the season and may be useful for decision making. We reviewed 17 pairs of studies reporting 33 pairs of interim and final estimates using the test-negative design to evaluate whether interim estimates can reliably predict final estimates. We examined features of the study design that may be correlated with interim estimates being substantially different from their final estimates and identified differences related to change in study period and concomitant changes in sample size, proportion vaccinated and proportion of cases. An absolute difference of no more than 10% between interim and final estimates was found for 18 of 33 reported pairs of estimates, including six of 12 pairs reporting VE against any influenza, six of 10 for influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, four of seven for influenza A(H3N2) and two of four for influenza B. While we identified inconsistencies in the methods, the similarities between interim and final estimates support the utility of generating and disseminating preliminary estimates of VE while virus circulation is ongoing. PMID:27124573

At the request of the U.S. Department of Energy, Bechtel SAIC Company, LLC, formed the Waste Package Materials Performance Peer Review Panel (the Panel) to review the technical basis for evaluating the long-term performance of waste package materials in a proposed repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. This is the interim report of the Panel; a final report will be issued in February 2002. In its work to date, the Panel has identified important issues regarding waste package materials performance. In the remainder of its work, the Panel will address approaches and plans to resolve these issues. In its review to date, the Panel has not found a technical basis to conclude that the waste package materials are unsuitable for long-term containment at the proposed Yucca Mountain Repository. Nevertheless, significant technical issues remain unsettled and, primarily because of the extremely long life required for the waste packages, there will always be some uncertainty in the assessment. A significant base of scientific and engineering knowledge for assessing materials performance does exist and, therefore, the likelihood is great that uncertainty about the long-term performance can be substantially reduced through further experiments and analysis.

Three sets of interim operating criteria for Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River have been proposed for the period of November 1991, to the completion of the record of decision for the Glen Canyon Dam environmental impact statement (about 1993). These criteria set specific limits on dam releases, including maximum and minimum flows, up-ramp and down-ramp rates, and maximum daily fluctuation. Under the proposed interim criteria, all of these parameters would be reduced relative to historical operating criteria to protect downstream natural resources, including sediment deposits, threatened and endangered fishes, trout, the aquatic food base, and riparian plant communities. The scientific bases of the three sets of proposed operating criteria are evaluated in the present report:(1) criteria proposed by the Research/Scientific Group, associated with the Glen Canyon Environmental Studies (GCES); (2) criteria proposed state and federal officials charged with managing downstream resources; and (3) test criteria imposed from July 1991, to November 1991. Data from Phase 1 of the GCES and other sources established that the targeted natural resources are affected by dam operations, but the specific interim criteria chosen were not supported by any existing studies. It is unlikely that irreversible changes to any of the resources would occur over the interim period if historical operating criteria remained in place. It is likely that adoption of any of the sets of proposed interim operating criteria would reduce the levels of sediment transport and erosion below Glen Canyon Dam; however, these interim criteria could result in some adverse effects, including the accumulation of debris at tributary mouths, a shift of new high-water-zone vegetation into more flood-prone areas, and further declines in vegetation in the old high water zone.

This report provides background information for a risk assessment of the disposal system for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste (HLW). It contains a literature review, a survey of the statutory requirements for risk assessment, and a preliminary evaluation of methods. The literature review outlines the state of knowledge of risk assessment and accident consequence analysis in the nuclear fuel cycle and its applicability to spent fuel and HLW disposal. The survey of statutory requirements determines the extent to which risk assessment may be needed in development of the waste-disposal system. The evaluation of methods reviews and evaluates merits and applicabilities of alternative methods for assessing risks and relates them to the problems of spent fuel and HLW disposal. 99 refs.

This paper provides interim findings from the implementation of peer review of classroom teaching in a large UK University School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting. A total of 258 classroom teaching sessions, involving 129 teaching staff (n=129) were included over a period of 7 months. Teachers had two teaching sessions reviewed by a colleague. One reviewer was self-nominated and the Dean of School allocated the other. The paper is in two parts. Part one includes a short literature review followed by a descriptive account of how peer review was implemented. Part two focuses upon individual experiences from a small scale study with data obtained from 14 teachers (n=14) who took part in qualitative interviews based on their experiences of being both reviewer and reviewee. The larger study gathered data from several sources. This paper presents the initial findings from interview data with nurse teachers. Their perceptions form the basis of a discussion, which raises issues related to the experience of both implementing and being involved in, peer review of classroom teaching. Four themes emerged from the interview transcriptions; peer review was initially perceived as a threat; the experience of peer review was a positive one; teachers felt that being a reviewer was an interesting and worthwhile experience and perceived peer review positively when good relations existed between them and their reviewer. PMID:11466007

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Interim acceptance and review of Bonneville Power Administration rates. 300.20 Section 300.20 Conservation of Power and Water... Review and Approval § 300.20 Interim acceptance and review of Bonneville Power Administration rates....

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Interim acceptance and review of Bonneville Power Administration rates. 300.20 Section 300.20 Conservation of Power and Water... Review and Approval § 300.20 Interim acceptance and review of Bonneville Power Administration rates....

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Interim acceptance and review of Bonneville Power Administration rates. 300.20 Section 300.20 Conservation of Power and Water... Review and Approval § 300.20 Interim acceptance and review of Bonneville Power Administration rates....

An abbreviated fault tree method is used to evaluate and model Browns Ferry systems in the Interim Reliability Evaluation programs, simplifying the recording and displaying of events, yet maintaining the system of identifying faults. The level of investigation is not changed. The analytical thought process inherent in the conventional method is not compromised. But the abbreviated method takes less time, and the fault modes are much more visible.

Background: The interim restorative materials should have certain mechanical properties to withstand in oral cavity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the hardness and wear resistance of interim restorative materials. Materials and Methods: Fifteen identical rectangular shape specimens with dimensions of 2 mm × 10 mm × 30 mm were made from 7 interim materials (TempSpan, Protemp 3 Garant, Revotek, Unifast LC, Tempron, Duralay, and Acropars). The Vickers hardness and abrasive wear of specimens were tested in dry conditions and after 1 week storage in artificial saliva. The depth of wear was measured using surface roughness inspection device. Data were subjected to Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney tests. The Pearson correlation coefficient was used to determine the relationship between hardness and wear (α =0.05). Results: TempSpan had the highest hardness. The wear resistance of TempSpan (in dry condition) and Revotek (after conditioning in artificial saliva) was significantly higher (P < 0.05). There was no statistically significant correlation between degree of wear and hardness of the materials (P = 0.281, r = −0.31). Conclusion: Hardness and wear resistance of interim resins are material related rather than category specified. PMID:23946734

This report is the result of the first year evaluation of 16 open plan schools built by SEF, four NonSEF open plan schools, and four traditional plan schools in an effort to compare SEF schools with nonSEF schools and open plan facilities with traditional plan facilities. The study was intended to gather information about the adequacy of these…

The performance of the Interim Digital SAR Processor (IDP) was evaluated. The IDP processor was originally developed for experimental processing of digital SEASAT SAR data. One phase of the system upgrade which features parallel processing in three peripheral array processors, automated estimation for Doppler parameters, and unsupervised image pixel location determination and registration was executed. The method to compensate for the target range curvature effect was improved. A four point interpolation scheme is implemented to replace the nearest neighbor scheme used in the original IDP. The processor still maintains its fast throughput speed. The current performance and capability of the processing modes now available on the IDP system are updated.

... COMMISSION Draft Interim Staff Guidance: Evaluations of Uranium Recovery Facility Surveys of Radon and Radon... Recovery Facility Surveys of Radon and Radon Progeny in Air and Demonstrations of Compliance with 10 CFR 20... that existing guidance does not sufficiently detail how the NRC staff reviews surveys of radon...

Increasing numbers of schools and districts have expressed interest in interim assessment systems to prepare for summative assessments and to improve teaching and learning. However, with so many commercial interim assessments available, schools and districts are struggling to determine which interim assessment is most appropriate to their needs.…

The Department of Energy (DOE) has received spent nuclear fuel (SNF) at the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant (ICPP) for interim storage since 1951 and reprocessing since 1953. Until recently, the major activity of the ICPP has been the reprocessing of SNF to recover fissile uranium; however, changing world events have raised questions concerning the need to recover and recycle this material. In April 1992, DOE chose to discontinue reprocessing SNF for uranium recovery and shifted its focus toward the management and disposition of radioactive wastes accumulated through reprocessing activities. Currently, 1.8 million gallons of radioactive liquid wastes (1.5 million gallons of radioactive sodium-bearing liquid wastes and 0.3 million gallons of high-level liquid waste) and 3,800 cubic meters (m{sup 3}) of calcine waste are in inventory at the ICPP. Legal drivers and agreements exist obligating the INEL to develop, demonstrate, and implement technologies for safe and environmentally sound treatment and interim storage of radioactive liquid and calcine waste. Candidate treatment processes and waste forms are being evaluated using the Technology Evaluation and Analysis Methodology (TEAM) Model. This process allows decision makers to (1) identify optimum radioactive waste treatment and disposal form alternatives; (2) assess tradeoffs between various optimization criteria; (3) identify uncertainties in performance parameters; and (4) focus development efforts on options that best satisfy stakeholder concerns. The Systems Analysis technology evaluation presented in this document supports the DOE in selecting the most effective radioactive liquid and calcine waste management plan to implement in compliance with established regulations, court orders, and agreements.

This document is an interimevaluation report of language development curriculums in full year Head Start programs operating in the five state area the Research and Evaluation Center serves. One experimental study in language development carried on in cooperation with the Texas and Tulane centers is reported in depth. The study was implemented in…

... review of Bonneville Power Administration rates. 300.20 Section 300.20 Conservation of Power and Water... Review and Approval § 300.20 Interim acceptance and review of Bonneville Power Administration rates. (a) Opportunity to comment. The Commission will publish in the Federal Register notice of any filing made...

The Seabed Disposal Project (SDP) was evaluating the technical feasibility of high-level nuclear waste disposal in deep ocean sediments. Working standards were needed for risk assessments, evaluation of alternative designs, sensitivity studies, and conceptual design guidelines. This report completes a three part program to develop radiological standards for the feasibility phase of the SDP. The characteristics of subseabed disposal and how they affect the selection of standards are discussed. General radiological protection standards are reviewed, along with some new methods, and a systematic approach to developing standards is presented. The selected interim radiological standards for the SDP and the reasons for their selection are given. These standards have no legal or regulatory status and will be replaced or modified by regulatory agencies if subseabed disposal is implemented. 56 refs., 29 figs., 15 tabs.

Reviewed in the interim report on revision of the existing American National Standards Institute provision is current literature on barrier free design for disabled individuals. The report addresses the following topics: the history of access as a civil right; demographic aspects (including information on task dysfunctions of disabled persons…

Data from peer reviews of 258 teaching sessions involving 129 nursing teachers and interviews with 14 teachers identified several themes. Initially perceived as a threat, peer review became a positive experience for both reviewer and reviewed. Preparation of reviewers and a process for changing nominated reviewers were recommended. (SK)

The Commission to Review the Effectiveness of the National Energy Laboratories was charged by Congress in January 2014 to evaluate the mission, capabilities, size, performance, governance, and agency oversight of the 17 Department of Energy (DOE) laboratories. Given the incredibly broad scope and aggressive timeline (the original deadline was February 2015), the Secretary of Energy and Congress agreed to split the task into two phases. This interim report contains the preliminary observations and recommendations gleaned from Phase 1 of the study, which consisted of a literature review; visits to five of the National Laboratories; semi-structured interviews with staff from across the National Laboratories, DOE, other Federal agencies, companies, other non-governmental organizations, and additional interested parties; and presentations at monthly public Commission meetings. The Commission notes that the purpose of the National Laboratories is to provide critical capabilities and facilities in service of DOE’s mission and the needs of the broader national and international science and technology (S&T) community, including other Federal agencies, academia, and private industry. The National Laboratories are successfully fulfilling that mission today. While the Commission believes significant improvements can be made to many aspects of DOE management and governance of the laboratories, those issues do not detract from the National Laboratories’ remarkable contributions to the American public. In Phase 2 the Commission will focus on ways to make the process of carrying out their missions more efficient and effective.

A review of the literature pertaining to the effect and influence that interim assessments have on student achievement lacks quantitative data to determine the efficiency of their use in the classroom as a school reform tool. This study examined the strength and the direction of the relationships between interim pre and posttest assessments in…

Appendix H, Section H.3.3.10.11 of the Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR), provides the limits to be observed for fueled components authorized for storage in the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) spent fuel storage system. Currently, the authorization basis allows standard driver fuel assemblies (DFA), as described in the FSAR Chapter 17, Section 17.5.3.1, to be stored provided decay power per assembly is {le} 250 watts, post-irradiation time is four years minimum, average assembly burn-up is 150,000 MWD/MTHM maximum and the pre-irradiation enrichment is 29.3% maximum (per H.3.3.10.11). In addition, driver evaluation (DE), core characterizer assemblies (CCA), and run-to-cladding-breach (RTCB) assemblies are included based on their similarities to a standard DFA. Ident-69 pin containers with fuel pins from these DFAs can also be stored. Section H.3.3.10.11 states that fuel types outside the specification criteria above will be addressed on a case-by-case basis. There are many different types of fuel and blanket experiments that were irradiated in the FFTF which now require offload to the spent fuel storage system. Two reviews were completed for a portion of these special type fuel components to determine if placement into the Core Component Container (CCC)/Interim Storage Cask (ISC) would require any special considerations or changes to the authorization basis. Project mission priorities coupled with availability of resources and analysts prevented these evaluations from being completed as a single effort. Areas of review have included radiological accident release consequences, radiological shielding adequacy, criticality safety, thermal limits, confinement, and stress. The results of these reviews are available in WHC-SD-FF-RPT-005, Rev. 0 and 1, ''Review of FFTF Fuel Experiments for Storage at ISA'', (Reference I), which subsequently allowed a large portion of these components to be included in the authorization basis (Table H.3.3-21). The report also identified

Over the past 20 years, the ERA Interim reanalysis has been showing a strengthening of the trade winds in the tropical Pacific Ocean. Literature has shown that atmospheric reanalyses can present spurious signals due to changes in the observing system. ERA Interim has been assimilating various wind products over the past 30 years. Evaluating how robust are the changes in ERA Interim tropical winds is thus necessary. Comparisons with scatterometer winds, in situ observations, a satellite-free ECMWF reanalysis and an AMIP integration are conducted. The climate signal observed in ERA Interim from the early 1990s to 2013 is in agreement with both scatterometer winds and in situ wind observations from the TAO array. Comparisons to the ERA20C reanalysis that does not assimilate satellite winds are also very positive. A similar strengthening of the tropical surface winds is detected in the ERA20CM AMIP integration thus discarding any impact from the assimilation of other variables. These positive results strongly suggest that the signal detected in ERA Interim reflects an actual climate shift in the tropical Pacific winds.

Evaluation of an ESEA Title III project, "An Inter-Disciplinary Problem Solving Approach to Environmental Education" located in Berks County, Pennsylvania, is offered in this interim report. The report is primarily concerned with the degree to which operational and management process objectives are being achieved in each of four components:…

In order to determine the merit of a petition to remove ethylene glycol ether (EGBE) from the Agency's Hazardous Air Pollutant (HAP) list, EPA has developed an interim final position paper, An Evaluation of the Human Carcinogenic Potential of Ethylene Glycol Butyl Ether, t...

This report presents interim findings from an independent, federally funded evaluation of the abstinence education programs authorized under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) and defined under Title V, Section 510 (b)(2)(A-H) of the Social Security Act. The report draws heavily on 4 years of…

In March 2000, thirteen grants were awarded as part of the Individual Training Account/Eligible Training Provider (ITA/ETP) Demonstration. In summer and fall of 2000, the grant recipients' activities were subjected to an interimevaluation. Site visits were made to each grantee to determine what ITA policies and practices were being formulated,…

RPP-6153, Engineering Task Plan for Hose-in-Hose Transfer System for the Interim Stabilization Program, defines the programmatic goals, functional requirements, and technical criteria for the development and subsequent installation of transfer line equipment to support Hanford's Interim Stabilization Program. RPP-6028, Specification for Hose in Hose Transfer Lines for Hanford's Interim Stabilization Program, has been issued to define the specific requirements for the design, manufacture, and verification of transfer line assemblies for specific waste transfer applications. Included in RPP-6028 are tables defining the chemical constituents of concern to which transfer lines will be exposed. Current Interim Stabilization Program planning forecasts that the at-grade transfer lines will be required to convey pumpable waste for as much as three years after commissioning. Prudent engineering dictates that the equipment placed in service have a working life in excess of this forecasted time period, with some margin to allow for future adjustments to the planned schedule. This document evaluates the effective service life of the Hose-in-Hose Transfer Lines, based on information submitted by the manufacturer and published literature. The effective service life of transfer line assemblies is a function of several factors. Foremost among these are process fluid characteristics, ambient environmental conditions, and the manufacturer's stated shelf life. This evaluation examines the manufacturer's certification of shelf life, the manufacturer's certifications of chemical compatibility with waste, and published literature on the effects of exposure to ionizing radiation on the mechanical properties of elastomeric materials to evaluate transfer line service life.

This report is a review of the activities surrounding the creation of IPC (International Power Corporation) and its joint venture with the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) for the development of international power projects, including the Raiwind project in Pakistan. The scope of the review included determination of: The process followed in establishing IPC and the structure of corporations associated with the Raiwind project; the process of conducting the IPC share offering; whether the conduct of participants was in accordance with sound public policy and good business practice; what guidelines and checks existed to protect the public interest; and whether there were any system or governance failures either inside or outside BC Hydro. Sections of the review examine the offshore economic development strategies of BC Hydro; the nature and scope of the Raiwind project; the principal participants involved in that project; the choice of a Cayman Islands planning structure; the investment of BC Hydro funds in the project; the private sector component of Raiwind project funding; accounting for funds invested; standards of conduct of government and BC Hydro-related personnel, including conflicts of interest; and governance issues.

This interim report presents partial (six months) results for a technology evaluation of gasoline hybrid electric parcel delivery trucks operated by FedEx in and around Los Angeles, CA. A 12 month in-use technology evaluation comparing in-use fuel economy and maintenance costs of GHEVs and comparative diesel parcel delivery trucks was started in April 2009. Comparison data was collected and analyzed for in-use fuel economy and fuel costs, maintenance costs, total operating costs, and vehicle uptime. In addition, this interim report presents results of parcel delivery drive cycle collection and analysis activities as well as emissions and fuel economy results of chassis dynamometer testing of a gHEV and a comparative diesel truck at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL) ReFUEL laboratory. A final report will be issued when 12 months of in-use data have been collected and analyzed.

The National Weatherization Evaluation is the first comprehensive evaluation of the Weatherization Assistance Program since 1984. The evaluation was designed to accomplish the following goals: Estimate energy savings and cost effectiveness; Assess nonenergy impacts; Describe the weatherization network; Characterize the eligible population and resources; and Identify factors influencing outcomes and opportunities for the future. As a national program, weatherization incorporates considerable diversity due to regional differences. Therefore, evaluation results are presented both in aggregate and for three climate regions: cold, moderate and hot.

New Jersey is preparing to implement a statewide educator evaluation system in the 2013-14 school year. As part of this process, an Evaluation Pilot Advisory Committee (EPAC) was convened in September 2011. The EPAC consisted of 22 appointed members from various stakeholder groups. Its charge was to make recommendations to the New Jersey…

Arts Council England (ACE) commissioned NFER to undertake the national evaluation of the In Harmony social and music education programme 2012-2015. In Harmony is funded by the Department for Education (DfE) and ACE, and is currently being piloted in six areas. The evaluation is investigating the range and extent of impacts on children, families,…

The groundwater and soil in the vicinity of the C-400 Building at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP), is contaminated with substantial quantities of industrial solvents, primarily trichoroethene (TCE). This solvent 'source' is recognized as a significant challenge and an important remediation target in the overall environmental cleanup strategy for PGDP. Thus, the cleanup of the C-400 TCE Source is a principal focus for the Department of Energy (DOE) and its contractors, and for PGDP regulators and stakeholders. Using a formal investigation, feasibility study and decision process, Electrical Resistance Heating (ERH) was selected for the treatment of the soil and groundwater in the vicinity of C-400. ERH was selected as an interim action to remove 'a significant portion of the contaminant mass of TCE at the C-400 Cleaning Building area through treatment' with the longer term goal of reducing 'the period the TCE concentration in groundwater remains above its Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL).' ERH is a thermal treatment that enhances the removal of TCE and related solvents from soil and groundwater. The heterogeneous conditions at PGDP, particularly the high permeability regional gravel aquifer (RGA), are challenging to ERH. Thus, a phased approach is being followed to implement this relatively expensive and complex remediation technology. Conceptually, the phased approach encourages safety and efficiency by providing a 'lessons learned' process and allowing appropriate adjustments to be identified and implemented prior to follow-on phase(s) of treatment. More specifically, early deployment targeted portions of the challenging RGA treatment zone with relatively little contamination reducing the risk of adverse collateral impacts from underperformance in terms of heating and capture. Because of the importance and scope of the C-400 TCE source remediation activities, DOE chartered an Independent Technical Review (ITR) in 2007 to assess the C-400 ERH plans prior

The primary goals of the STARPAHC Program are to provide data for developing health care for future manned spacecraft, and to establish the feasibility of the STARPAHC concept for improving the delivery of health care to remote areas on earth. Accordingly, the hardware and medical evaluations initiated during the first 6 months of system operation were continued and expanded during the second 6-month period. The evaluations are based on what has proven to be a relatively stabilized 6-month period wherein system failures which occurred during the initial shakedown period in the first 6 months have been minimized. Early trends and performance data reported in the first semi-annual report were reexamined to either verify, modify or change earlier conclusions. The highlights are given of the total year of operation with emphasis on comparisons between the first and second semi-annual reporting period. In addition, an early analysis of costs is summarized.

CDC has developed interim guidelines for health care providers in the United States who are caring for infants born to mothers who traveled to or resided in an area with Zika virus transmission during pregnancy. These guidelines include recommendations for the testing and management of these infants. Guidance is subject to change as more information becomes available; the latest information, including answers to commonly asked questions, can be found online (http://www.cdc.gov/zika). Pediatric health care providers should work closely with obstetric providers to identify infants whose mothers were potentially infected with Zika virus during pregnancy (based on travel to or residence in an area with Zika virus transmission [http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices]), and review fetal ultrasounds and maternal testing for Zika virus infection (see Interim Guidelines for Pregnant Women During a Zika Virus Outbreak*) (1). Zika virus testing is recommended for 1) infants with microcephaly or intracranial calcifications born to women who traveled to or resided in an area with Zika virus transmission while pregnant; or 2) infants born to mothers with positive or inconclusive test results for Zika virus infection. For infants with laboratory evidence of a possible congenital Zika virus infection, additional clinical evaluation and follow-up is recommended. Health care providers should contact their state or territorial health department to facilitate testing. As an arboviral disease, Zika virus disease is a nationally notifiable condition. PMID:26820387

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An interim principal can buy a school district time to land a permanent successor. Also lists where to find an interim principal; the interim's steadying influence; Bob Wallace's wild ride as an interim principal in post-retirement; and Roger Prosise's rationale for turning to an interim appointment. (MLF)

...The NRC requests public comment on Draft License Renewal Interim Staff Guidance (LR-ISG), LR-ISG-2011-05, ``Ongoing Review of Operating Experience.'' This LR-ISG provides guidance and clarification concerning ongoing review of plant-specific and industry-wide operating experience as an attribute of aging management programs used at nuclear power plants for compliance with Title 10 of the Code......

...The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing the final License Renewal Interim Staff Guidance (LR-ISG), LR-ISG-2011-05, ``Ongoing Review of Operating Experience.'' This LR-ISG provides guidance and clarification concerning ongoing reviews of plant-specific and industry-wide operating experience as an attribute of aging management programs used at nuclear power plants as described in......

This study aimed to systematically review the prognostic value of interim and end-of-treatment (18)F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) in follicular lymphoma during and after first-line therapy. The PubMed/MEDLINE database was searched for relevant original studies. Included studies were methodologically assessed, and their results were extracted and descriptively analyzed. Three studies on the prognostic value of interim FDG-PET and eight studies on the prognostic value of end-of-treatment FDG-PET were included. Overall, studies were of poor methodological quality. In addition, there was incomplete reporting of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) data by several studies, and none of the studies incorporated the Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index (FLIPI) in the OS analyses. Two studies reported no significant difference in PFS between interim FDG-PET positive and negative patients, whereas one study reported a significant difference in PFS between the two groups. Two studies reported no significant difference in OS between interim FDG-PET positive and negative patients. Five studies reported end-of-treatment FDG-PET positive patients to have a significantly worse PFS than end-of-treatment FDG-PET negative patients, and one study reported a non-significant trend towards a worse PFS for end-of-treatment FDG-PET positive patients. Three studies reported end-of-treatment FDG-PET positive patients to have a significantly worse OS than end-of-treatment FDG-PET negative patients. In conclusion, the available evidence does not support the use of interim FDG-PET in follicular lymphoma. Although published studies suggest end-of-treatment FDG-PET to be predictive of PFS and OS, they suffer from numerous biases and failure to correct OS prediction for the FLIPI. PMID:26576560

Laboratory tests were conducted to evaluate the electrical and mechanical performance of the 2004 Toyota Prius and its hybrid electric drive system. As a hybrid vehicle, the 2004 Prius uses both a gasoline-powered internal combustion engine and a battery-powered electric motor as motive power sources. Innovative algorithms for combining these two power sources results in improved fuel efficiency and reduced emissions compared to traditional automobiles. Initial objectives of the laboratory tests were to measure motor and generator back-electromotive force (emf) voltages and determine gearbox-related power losses over a specified range of shaft speeds and lubricating oil temperatures. Follow-on work will involve additional performance testing of the motor, generator, and inverter. Information contained in this interim report summarizes the test results obtained to date, describes preliminary conclusions and findings, and identifies additional areas for further study.

The Registry for College and University Presidents places former executives in interim presidential and other senior-level posts and is familiar with the challenges interim executives and institutions encounter in times of leadership transitions. However, the one big advantage interims bring to institutions, says Registry Vice President Kevin J.…

The 2004 Toyota Prius is a hybrid automobile equipped with a gasoline engine and a battery-powered electric motor. Both of these motive power sources are capable of providing mechanical drive power for the vehicle. The engine can deliver a peak power output of 57 kilowatts (kW) at 5000 revolutions per minute (rpm) while the motor can deliver a peak power output of 50 kW at 1300 rpm. Together, this engine-motor combination has a specified peak power output of 82 kW at a vehicle speed of 85 kilometers per hour (km/h). In operation, the 2004 Prius exhibits superior fuel economy compared to conventionally powered automobiles. Laboratory tests were conducted to evaluate the electrical and mechanical performance of the 2004 Toyota Prius and its hybrid electric drive system. As a hybrid vehicle, the 2004 Prius uses both a gasoline-powered internal combustion engine and a battery-powered electric motor as motive power sources. Innovative algorithms for combining these two power sources results in improved fuel efficiency and reduced emissions compared to traditional automobiles. Initial objectives of the laboratory tests were to measure motor and generator back-electromotive force (emf) voltages and determine gearbox-related power losses over a specified range of shaft speeds and lubricating oil temperatures. Follow-on work will involve additional performance testing of the motor, generator, and inverter. Information contained in this interim report summarizes the test results obtained to date, describes preliminary conclusions and findings, and identifies additional areas for further study.

This document provides the basis for interim stabilization of tank 241-C-103. The document covers the removal of the organic liquid layer and the aqueous supernatant from tank 241-C-103. Hazards are identified, consequences are calculated and controls to mitigate or prevent potential accidents are developed.

The paper discusses the meaning of value and valuing, their roles in evaluation, and the potency of value systems in problem solving logic. Evaluation is defined as a process for facilitating decision making. A decision making situation occurs when there are options which are impossible to treat equivalently, and there is an impact in the…

These are interim model guidelines to encourage the establishment within health care facilities, especially facilities with tertiary level neonatal care units, of committees for the purposes of educating hospital personnel and families of disabled infants with life-threatening conditions, recommending institutional policies and guidelines concerning the withholding of medically indicated treatment (including appropriate nutrition, hydration, and medication) from such infants, and offering counsel and review in cases involving disabled infants with life-threatening conditions. The publication of these interim model guidelines for public comment is required by section 124(b) of the Child Abuse Amendments of 1984, Pub. L. 98-457. PMID:10269291

This interim report provides documentation on the fourth task, Assessment of Optimum Distribution Configuration, of DOE Contract No. ET-78-C-01-2866, Evaluation of Higher Distribution and/or Utilization Voltages. The work performed under this task includes the development of a computer model for assessment of life cycle costs for the distribution and utilization systems, the development of an optimization algorithm to enable distribution system configuration optimization and a net energy analysis to determine potential net energy savings. Input data for this task derive from Task 3. The major output of this task is a documented computer code.

It has been postulated that a degradation phenomenon, referred to as ``hot cell rot``, may affect irradiated FFTF mixed plutonium-uranium oxide (MOX) fuel during dry interim storage. ``Hot cell rot`` refers to a variety of phenomena that degrade fuel pin cladding during exposure to air and inert gas environments. It is thought to be a form of caustic stress corrosion cracking or environmentally assisted cracking. Here, a criticality safety analysis was performed to address the effect of the ``hot cell rot`` phenomenon on the long term storage of irradiated FFTF fuel in core component containers. The results show that seven FFTF fuel assemblies or six Ident-69 pin containers stored in core component containers within interim storage casks will remain safely subcritical.

The Southern Ocean cloud cover modeled by the Interim ECMWF Re-Analysis (ERA-Interim) and Modern- Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) reanalyses are compared against Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Multiangle Imaging Spectroradiometer (MISR) observations. ERA-Interim monthly mean cloud amounts match the observations within 5%, while MERRA significantly underestimates the cloud amount. For a compositing analysis of clouds in warm season extratropical cyclones, both reanalyses show a low bias in cloud cover. They display a larger bias to the west of the cyclones in the region of subsidence behind the cold fronts. This low bias is larger for MERRA than for ERA-Interim. Both MODIS and MISR retrievals indicate that the clouds in this sector are at a low altitude, often composed of liquid, and of a broken nature. The combined CloudSat-Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) cloud profiles confirm these passive observations, but they also reveal that low-level clouds in other parts of the cyclones are also not properly represented in the reanalyses. The two reanalyses are in fairly good agreement for the dynamic and thermodynamic characteristics of the cyclones, suggesting that the cloud, convection, or boundary layer schemes are the problem instead. An examination of the lower-tropospheric stability distribution in the cyclones from both reanalyses suggests that the parameterization of shallow cumulus clouds may contribute in a large part to the problem. However, the differences in the cloud schemes and in particular in the precipitation processes, which may also contribute, cannot be excluded.

Statement of the Problem Mechanical properties of interim restorations are considered as important factors specially when selecting materials for long-term application or for patients with para-functional habits. Flexural strength is one of the most important components of these restorations. Purpose The purpose of this study was to compare the flexural strength of five interim restorative materials. Materials and Method Fifty identical samples sized 25×2×2-mm were made from five interim materials (TempSpan; Protemp 4, Unifast III, Trim, and Revotek LC) according to ADA specification #27. The specimens were stored in artificial saliva for 2 weeks and then thermocycled for 2500 cycles (5-55˚C). A standard three-point bending test was conducted on the specimens with a universal testing machine at a crosshead speed of 0.75mm/min. Data were analyzed by using one-way ANOVA and Tamhane’s post-hoc tests to measure the flexural strength of temporary materials. Results One of the bis-acryl resins (TempSpan) showed the highest, and the light polymerized resin (Revotek LC) showed the lowest flexural strength. The mean values of flexural strength (MPa) for the examined materials were as follow: TempSpan=120.00, Protemp 4=113.00, Unifast III=64.20, Trim= 63.73 and Revotek LC=47.16. There were significant differences between all materials except Trim and Unifast III which did not show any statistical significant difference. Conclusion Bis-acryl resins were statistically superior to traditional methacrylate and light-cured resins. Therefore, application of bis-acryl resins should be deliberated in patients with heavy occlusion and in cases that need long-term use of interim restorations. PMID:27602395

The objective was to assess current ceramic materials, fabrication processes, reliability prediction, and stator durability when subjected to simulated automotive gas turbine engine operating conditions. Ceramic one-piece stators were fabricated of two materials, silicon nitride and silicon carbide, using two near-net-shape processes, slip casting and injection molding. Non-destructive evaluation tests were conducted on all stators identifying irregularities which could contribute to failures under durability testing. Development of the test rig and automatic control system for repeatably controlling air flow rate and temperature over a highly transient durability duty cycle is discussed. Durability results are presented for repeated thermal cycle testing of the ceramic one-piece stators. Two duty cycles were used, encompassing the temperature ranges of 704 to 1204 C (1300 to 2200 F) and 871 to 1371 C (1600 to 2500 F). Tests were conducted on 28 stators, accumulating 135,551 cycles in 2441 hours of hot testing. Cyclic durability for the ceramic one-piece stator was demonstrated to be in excess of 500 hours, accumulating over 28,850 thermal cycles. Ceramic interface forces were found to be the significant factor in limiting stator life rather than the scatter in material strength properties or the variation in component defects encountered.

This report provides the interim budget plan of the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) for fiscal year 2000. It reviews factors influencing OSFA's budget request, including legislative requirements, recent accomplishments, the need to maintain both the Direct Loan and Federal Family Education Loan…

Evaluation practice within state education agencies (SEAs) is reviewed from a management consultant's perspective. The study is based upon a review of literature, discussions with the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory Research on Evaluation Program, and visits to SEAs in California, Montana and Washington. The main findings of the study…

This Interim Report summarizes the research and development activities of the Superconducting Super Collider project carried out from the completion of the Reference Designs Study (May 1984) to June 1985. It was prepared by the SSC Central Design Group in draft form on the occasion of the DOE Annual Review, June 19--21, 1985. Now largely organized by CDG Divisions, the bulk of each chapter documents the progress and accomplishments to date, while the final section(s) describe plans for future work. Chapter 1, Introduction, provides a basic brief description of the SSC, its physics justification, its origins, and the R&D organization set up to carry out the work. Chapter 2 gives a summary of the main results of the R&D program, the tasks assigned to the four magnet R&D centers, and an overview of the future plans. The reader wishing a quick look at the SSC Phase I effort can skim Chapter 1 and read Chapter 2. Subsequent chapters discuss in more detail the activities on accelerator physics, accelerator systems, magnets and cryostats, injector, detector R&D, conventional facilities, and project planning and management. The magnet chapter (5) documents in text and photographs the impressive progress in successful construction of many model magnets, the development of cryostats with low heat leaks, and the improvement in current-carrying capacity of superconducting strand. Chapter 9 contains the budgets and schedules of the COG Divisions, the overall R&D program, including the laboratories, and also preliminary projections for construction. Appendices provide information on the various panels, task forces and workshops held by the CDG in FY 1985, a bibliography of COG and Laboratory reports on SSC and SSC-related work, and on private industrial involvement in the project.

This interim report of the Temporary New York State Commission to Evaluate the Drug Laws seeks to provide the executive department and the legislature with comprehensive information on the social, fiscal and health problems associated with narcotics addition, and drug abuse. This report is the result of the following: (1) several meetings with…

A comprehensive approach is being developed to evaluate SRS sites with inorganic constituents of concern (COCs) for potential implementation of monitored natural attenuation (MNA) as a remediation strategy. In order to invoke MNA, the operative, or controlling, attenuation mechanisms at a given site must be identified and demonstrated using a technically defensible approach and site-specific data. This report details ongoing research in the application of this approach at the D-Area expanded operable unit (DEXOU). Initial screening of the DEXOU described in this interim report indicates that natural attenuation of inorganic COCs (low pH, Cr, Ni, Se, and As) is occurring to a significant degree. This work is part of continuing efforts to characterize the natural attenuation processes, both abiotic and biotic, occurring at this location and likely occurring at other SRS sites with inorganic COCs.

The study reviewed in this report examined the effects of Philadelphia's "Renaissance Schools Initiative" on students in K-8 schools after one year of implementation. Schools were selected for participation based on their School Performance Index (SPI) at the start of the 2010-11 school year. The SPI rates every school in Philadelphia from one to…

Patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with a poor prognosis based upon advanced stage and elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase achieve a 3-4-year progression-free survival (PFS) of only 55%. The role of interim fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) to guide use of upfront high dose chemotherapy (HDCT) and autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) for patients with poor prognosis DLBCL is unproven. A prospective phase II clinical trial was designed to evaluate the outcomes of HDCT/ASCT for patients with poor prognosis DLBCL aged 18-65 years who had unfavorable interim restaging PET scans. Of the 70 eligible patients, 36 had unfavorable and 34 favorable interim PET responses, with 3-year PFS rates of 65.2% and 52.7%, respectively. In conclusion, favorable interim PET response as defined in this study is not associated with improved PFS rates for patients with poor prognosis DLBCL treated with RCHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone). A phase III trial evaluating this PET-guided approach is not warranted. PMID:24188476

In Japan, there is a possibility that interim storage facilities for recycled nuclear fuel resources may be constructed on quaternary layers, rather than on hard rock. In such a case, the storage facilities need to be supported by pile foundations or spread foundations to meet the required safety level. The authors have conducted a series of experimental studies on the dynamic behavior of storage facilities supported by pile foundations. A centrifuge modeling technique was used to satisfy the required similitude between the reduced size model and the prototype. The centrifuge allows a high confining stress level equivalent to prototype deep soils to be generated (which is considered necessary for examining complex pile-soil interactions) as the soil strength and the deformation are highly dependent on the confining stress. The soil conditions were set at as experimental variables, and the results are compared. Since 2000, the Nuclear Power Engineering Corporation (NUPEC) has been conducting these research tests under the auspices on the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan. (authors)

Since 1962, all United States nuclear tests have been conducted underground. A consequence of this testing has been the deposition of large amounts of radioactive materials in the subsurface, sometimes in direct contact with groundwater. The majority of this testing occurred on the Nevada Test Site, but a limited number of experiments were conducted in other locations. One of these is the subject of this report, the Project Shoal Area (PSA), located about 50 km southeast of Fallon, Nevada. The Shoal test consisted of a 12-kiloton-yield nuclear detonation which occurred on October 26, 1963. Project Shoal was part of studies to enhance seismic detection of underground nuclear tests, in particular, in active earthquake areas. Characterization of groundwater contamination at the Project Shoal Area is being conducted by the US Department of Energy (DOE) under the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (FFACO) with the State of Nevada Department of Environmental Protection and the US Department of Defense (DOD). This order prescribes a Corrective Action Strategy (Appendix VI), which, as applied to underground nuclear tests, involves preparing a Corrective Action Investigation Plan (CAIP), Corrective Action Decision Document (CADD), Corrective Action Plan, and Closure Report. The scope of the CAIP is flow and transport modeling to establish contaminant boundaries that are protective of human health and the environment. This interim report describes the current status of the flow and transport modeling for the PSA.

The federal government is the largest single energy consumer in the United States cost valued at nearly $10 billion annually. The US Department of Energy`s (DOE) Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) supports efforts to reduce energy use and associated expenses in the federal sector. One such effort, the New Technology Demonstration Program (NTDP), seeks to evaluate new energy-saving US technologies and secure their more timely adoption by the US government. Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) is one of four DOE laboratories that participate in the New Technologies Demonstration Program, providing technical expertise and equipment to evaluate new, energy-saving technologies being studied under that program. This interim report provides the results of a field evaluation that PNL conducted for DOE/FEMP and the US Department of Defense (DoD) Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) to examine the performance of a candidate energy-saving technology-a hot water heater conversion system to convert electrically heated hot water tanks to natural gas fuel. The unit was installed at a single residence at Fort Stewart, a US Army base in Georgia, and the performance was monitored under the NTDP. Participating in this effort under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) were Gas Fired Products, developers of the technology; the Public Service Company of North Carolina; Atlanta Gas Light Company; the Army Corps of Engineers; Fort Stewart; and Pacific Northwest Laboratory.

Introduction Hodgkin lymphoma is an effectively treated malignancy, yet 20% of patients relapse or are refractory to front-line treatments with potentially fatal outcomes. Early detection of poor treatment responders is crucial for appropriate application of tailored treatment strategies. Tumour metabolic imaging of Hodgkin lymphoma using visual (qualitative) 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) is a gold standard for staging and final outcome assessment, but results gathered during the interim period are less accurate. Analysis of continuous metabolic–morphological data (quantitative) FDG-PET may enhance the robustness of interim disease monitoring, and help to improve treatment decision-making processes. The objective of this review is to compare diagnostic test accuracy of quantitative versus qualitative interim FDG-PET in the prognostication of patients with Hodgkin lymphoma. Methods The literature on this topic will be reviewed in a 3-step strategy that follows methods described by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). First, MEDLINE and EMBASE databases will be searched. Second, listed databases for published literature (MEDLINE, Tripdatabase, Pedro, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and WoS) and unpublished literature (Open Grey, Current Controlled Trials, MedNar, ClinicalTrials.gov, Cos Conference Papers Index and International Clinical Trials Registry Platform of the WHO) will be queried. Third, 2 independent reviewers will analyse titles, abstracts and full texts, and perform hand search of relevant studies, and then perform critical appraisal and data extraction from selected studies using the DATARI tool (JBI). If possible, a statistical meta-analysis will be performed on pooled sensitivity and specificity data gathered from the selected studies. Statistical heterogeneity will be assessed. Funnel plots, Begg's rank correlations and Egger's regression tests will be used to detect and/or correct publication

As part of the NRC staff actions following the TMI-2 accident (Item I.D.1, NUREG-0660, Vol. 1, May 1980), it is required that all licensees and applicants for operating licenses conduct a Detailed Control Room Design Review (DCRDR) to identify and correct human factors design deficiencies. Louisiana Power and Light Co. (LP and L) performed a preliminary assessment of the Waterford SES Unit No. 3 control room and submitted its findings to the NRC in a report dated April 15, 1981, for review and evaluation. The Human Factors Engineering Branch (HFEB) performed an interimreview of the LP and L preliminary assessment report.

K-Basin sludge will be recovered into the Sludge Transport and Storage Containers (STSCs) and will be stored in the T Plant for interim storage (at least 10 years). Long-term sludge storage tests conducted by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory show that high uranium content K Basin sludge can self-cement and form a strong sludge with a bulk shear strength of up to 65 kPa. Some of this sludge has "paste" and "chunks" with shear strengths of approximately 3~5 kPa and 380 ~ 770 kPa, respectively. High uranium content sludge samples subjected to hydrothermal testing (e.g., 185°C, 10 h) have been observed to form agglomerates with a shear strength up to 170 kPa. After interim storage at T Plant, the sludge in the STSCs will be mobilized by water jets impinging the sludge. The objective of the evaluation was to determine the range of sludge shear strength for which there is high confidence that a water-jet retrieval system can mobilize stored K-Basin sludge from STSCs. The shear strength at which the sludge can be retrieved is defined as the "shear strength threshold of concern." If the sludge shear strength is greater than the value of the shear strength threshold of concern, a water-jet retrieval system will be unlikely to mobilize the sludge up to the container’s walls. The shear strength threshold of concern can be compared with the range of possible shear strengths of K-Basin stored sludge to determine if the current post interim-storage, water-jet retrieval method is adequate. Fourteen effective cleaning radius (ECR) models were reviewed, and their validity was examined by applying them to Hanford 241-SY-101 and 241-AZ-101 Tanks to reproduce the measured ECR produced by the mixer pumps. The validation test identified that the Powell-3 and Crowe-2 ECR models are more accurate than other ECR models reviewed. These ECR models were used to address a question as to whether the effective cleaning radius of a water jet is sufficient or if it can be readily expanded

Assessed the viability of the Comprehensive Clinical Performance Grid for Student Evaluation, introduced at The New England College of Optometry in 1996 in clinical student assessment. Analyzed faculty and student feedback and consistency with previous evaluations, between evaluators, and between clinical sites and tracts. Found satisfaction with…

The purpose of these guidelines is to provide consistent, systematic standards for evaluating instructional materials proposed for use in California's public schools to ensure compliance with the Education Code. Though they are not intended to supplant the evaluator's judgment, the guidelines do comprise the minimum standards for acceptability in…

This progress report describes study objectives, research design, field survey activities, and analysis plans for the evaluation of the Emergency School Assistance Program (ESAP), a federal program to aid local educational agencies in bringing about racial desegregation of their public school systems. A need for evaluation is explained in terms of…

The objective of this report is to provide a test plan for V2G testing. The test plan is designed to test and evaluate the vehicle's power electronics capability to provide power to the grid, and to evaluate the vehicle's ability to connect and disconnect from the utility according to a subset of the IEEE Std. 1547 tests.

During the spring of 1987, the National Conference of State Legislatures awarded the Nebraska Legislature a cost-sharing award to study local school evaluation processes. Embodied in Legislative Resolution 181, which has the purpose of studying school evaluation procedures, the study attempts to provide legislators, educators, local school…

This report is the appendix to the last volume in a five volume series on the national evaluation study of the Follow Through Planned Variation Model. The appendix is organized in three sections. Section I provides detailed summaries of five major national Follow Through evaluation reports not published as part of this series. Section II is an…

The purpose of this study was to establish more precisely what factors determine energy use in schools, to evaluate the efficiency of and necessity for these, and to make recommendations for the reduction of energy use. These recommendations will be applied to the design of specific projects that will be built, monitored, and evaluated. This…

This evaluation report is concerned with Phase 3 of the Three Phase Primary Science (TPPS) course piloted in Papua, New Guinea, primary schools in 1969 and which was to be taught in all primary schools in 1973. Phase 1 is a series of activities; Phase 2, a series of simple experiments for the pupils. Phase 3 is a series of more formal experiments…

This first of two reports presents early findings from the National Evaluation of the Comprehensive Technical Assistance Centers (Comprehensive Centers), a federally funded program that provides technical assistance to states in connection with the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001. The law authorizing the Comprehensive Centers, the…

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) was awarded Charter School Program (CSP) funding in 2007, and specified that the required evaluation would focus on the experiences and outcomes of new charter schools authorized to begin serving students across 4 school years: 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, and 2009-10. TEA categorizes charter schools in terms of…

This report describes and evaluates two programs which deal with chronic status offenders: the Grimes Alternative School Program, a delinquency prevention project which targets intermediate school (grades 4 and 5) students with chronic discipline and/or truant behaviors, and the Home Remedies Program, a short-term crisis intervention and…

This report summarizes the evaluation of a national conference on "Education and Citizenship: Responsibilities for the Common Good" held in Kansas City, Missouri, on September 20-23, 1976. Participants were 400 persons who are interested or involved in political education. The conference involved speeches and papers from experts and leaders in the…

Pilot work conducted in 1997 to aid the development of the study for the 1998 Evaluation of Juvenile Fall Chinook Stranding on The Hanford Reach. The objectives of the 1997 work were to: (1) identify juvenile chinook production and rearing areas..., (2) identify sampling sites and develop the statistical parameters necessary to complete the study, (3) develop a study plan..., (4) conduct field sampling activities...

The advent of high-speed civil transport aircraft (HSCT's) some 25 years ago generated considerable concern about potential impacts on the stratosphere. With interest in such aircraft again increasing, NASA initiated an assessment of the potential stratospheric impacts of a substantial increase in the use of HSCT's. This assessment was intended to examine, from the standpoint of present scientific understanding, the potential atmospheric impacts of a fleet of high-speed civil transports flying supersonically in the lower stratosphere. The program was initiated in 1991, and the bulk of its research is scheduled to be completed in 1995. In early 1993 NASA asked the National Research Council to review its efforts. This report documents its findings and recommendations.

An evaluation of the feasibility of using eddy current nondestructive inspection techniques to detect intergranular stress corrosion in generator rotor retaining rings was conducted by the EPRI NDE Center. Experiments were conducted using a bend-bar containing representative stress corrosion damage, a calibration block containing electrical discharge machined (EDM) notches, and four retired retaining rings containing EDM notches and stress corrosion damage. An eddy current transducer transport was designed and fabricated to interface with an existing computer-controlled, two-axis positioner and digital eddy current data acquisition system. Test results of experiments performed with this equipment on the retaining ring test-bed provided experimental validation of the eddy current method's feasibility as a retaining ring inspection method. Details are given of the system and its performance under laboratory and simulated service-inspection conditions. 9 refs., 47 figs.

The Transuranic Waste Storage and Assay Facility (TRUSAF) Interim Safety Basis document provides the authorization basis for the interim operation and restriction on interim operations for the TRUSAF. The TRUSAF ISB demonstrates that the TRUSAF can be operated safely, protecting the workers, the public, and the environment. The previous safety analysis document TRUSAF Hazards Identification and Evaluation (WHC 1987) is superseded by this document.

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) offer significant improvements in fuel economy, convenient low-cost recharging capabilities, potential environmental benefits, and decreased reliance on imported petroleum. However, the cost associated with new components (e.g., advanced batteries) to be introduced in these vehicles will likely result in a price premium to the consumer. This study aims to overcome this market barrier by identifying and evaluating value propositions that will increase the qualitative value and/or decrease the overall cost of ownership relative to the competing conventional vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) of 2030 During this initial phase of this study, business scenarios were developed based on economic advantages that either increase the consumer value or reduce the consumer cost of PHEVs to assure a sustainable market that can thrive without the aid of state and Federal incentives or subsidies. Once the characteristics of a thriving PHEV market have been defined for this timeframe, market introduction steps, such as supportive policies, regulations and temporary incentives, needed to reach this level of sustainability will be determined. PHEVs have gained interest over the past decade for several reasons, including their high fuel economy, convenient low-cost recharging capabilities, potential environmental benefits and reduced use of imported petroleum, potentially contributing to President Bush's goal of a 20% reduction in gasoline use in ten years, or 'Twenty in Ten'. PHEVs and energy storage from advanced batteries have also been suggested as enabling technologies to improve the reliability and efficiency of the electric power grid. However, PHEVs will likely cost significantly more to purchase than conventional or other hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), in large part because of the cost of batteries. Despite the potential long-term savings to consumers and value to stakeholders, the initial cost of PHEVs presents a major

The United States has labeled appliances with the EnergyGuide labels since 1980. Consensus is growing that this label is confusing to consumers and has little impact on purchase decisions. Many researchers have documented that alternative labeling approaches are effective in other countries. The authors comprehensively evaluated the U.S. appliance labeling program for white goods, heating and cooling equipment, and water heaters, with emphasis on products sold through retail outlets. To date, our research has included consumer focus groups and semi-structured interviews with various market actors to assess how best to communicate energy information. With consumers and retail sales staff, five graphical designs were tested a European-style, letter based graphic; an Australian-style star-based graphic; a speedometer-style graphic; a thermometer-style graphic; and the current U.S. style. With manufacturers and contractors, we did not directly test alternate designs. Instead, we asked their opinion of and experience with the current EnergyGuide labeling program.

The main text of this report consists of a review and evaluation of job enrichment as an approach to job redesign, with implications for Air Force research and application. In addition, two appendixes are included: the first, a supplemental historical discussion; the second, a ninety-six-item annotated bibliography. Specific objectives are to…

This interim report reviews the major incentive policy options available to accelerate market penetration of solar heating and cooling (SHAC) systems. Feasible policy options designed to overcome existing barriers to commercial acceptance and market penetration are identified and evaluated. The report is divided into seven sections, each dealing…

This Interim Safety Analysis document supports the authorization basis for the interim operation and restrictions on interim operations for the near-surface land disposal of solid waste in the Solid Waste Burial Grounds. The Solid Waste Burial Grounds Interim Safety Basis supports the upgrade progress for the safety analysis report and the technical safety requirements for the operations in the Solid Waste Burial Grounds. Accident safety analysis scenarios have been analyzed based on the significant events identified in the preliminary hazards analysis. The interim safety analysis provides an evaluation of the operations in the Solid Waste Burial Grounds to determine if the radiological and hazardous material exposures will be acceptable from an overall health and safety standpoint to the worker, the onsite personnel, the public, and the environment.

Each year hydrogen and fuel cell projects funded by DOE's Hydrogen Program are reviewed for their merit during an Annual Merit Review and Peer Evaluation Meeting. The 2006 Annual Merit Review, held May 16-19, 2006 in Arlington, Va., showcased approximately 250 projects. Principal investigators presented their project status and results in oral and poster presentations, which are available in the 2006 Annual Merit Review Proceedings. A panel of more than 150 community experts peer reviewed two-t

The brightness temperature data produced by the SMMR Antenna Pattern Correction algorithm are evaluated. The evaluation consists of: (1) a direct comparison of the outputs of the interim, cross, and nominal APC modes; (2) a refinement of the previously determined cos beta estimates; and (3) a comparison of the world brightness temperature (T sub B) map with actual SMMR measurements.

At the request of the U.S. Army Non-Stockpile Chemical Material Office, the Sandia Explosives Containment System Design Team investigated mature destruction systems for destroying recovered chemical warfare munitions (CWM). The goal of the investigations was to identify and examine available techniques for the destruction of recovered CWM. The result of this study is a recommendation for an interim solution, a solution for use on any munitions found while an optimal, long-term solution is developed. Sandia is also performing the long-term solution study to develop a system that destroys CWM, contains the blast and fragments, and destroys the chemical agent without insult to the environment.

... independent public accountant. Prior to filing, interim financial statements included in quarterly reports on Form 10-Q (17 CFR 249.308(a)) must be reviewed by an independent public accountant using professional... interim financial statements have been reviewed by an independent public accountant, a report of...

... independent public accountant. Prior to filing, interim financial statements included in quarterly reports on Form 10-Q (17 CFR 249.308(a)) must be reviewed by an independent public accountant using professional... interim financial statements have been reviewed by an independent public accountant, a report of...

... independent public accountant. Prior to filing, interim financial statements included in quarterly reports on Form 10-Q (17 CFR 249.308(a)) must be reviewed by an independent public accountant using professional... interim financial statements have been reviewed by an independent public accountant, a report of...

A literature search has been conducted on the economics and technical problems associated with the use of higher voltages in both the primary distribution and secondary utilization systems. After a literature review and evaluation, an assessment of the state-of-the-art with regard to high voltage has been made and is presented for the primary and secondary distribution systems, end use elements, and economics and system analysis or optimization. An annotated bibliography is provided for each of the three categories. A comprehensive list of potential advantages and disadvantages of higher primary distribution and utilization voltages has also been prepared and is presented.

... Guidance (LR-ISG), LR-ISG-2011-05, ``Ongoing Review of Operating Experience.'' This LR-ISG provides... on how the ongoing review of operating experience should be used to ensure the effectiveness of the... their programmatic activities for operating experience reviews are appropriate for considering...

This interim report provides documentation on the second task, Identification of Components and Parameters for Cost and Energy-Efficiency Analysis, of DOE Contract No. ET-78-C-01-2866, Evaluation of Higher Distribution and/or Utilization Voltages. The work performed under this task includes an identification of the elements of the distribution/utilization system, a characterization of the distribution elements and a characterization of end use elements. The purpose of this task is to identify the distribution and utilization system elements which will be subjected to a detailed analysis and computer modeling in later tasks. The elements identified are characterized in terms of their interface with other elements in the system and with respect to their energy consumption, efficiency, and costs. A major output of this task is a list of elements to be modeled under Task 3 and a set of specifications for the computer model to be developed under that task.

This interim report satisfies the Task B requirement for DOE Contract DE-AC21-81MC16220 to define process configurations for systems suitable for supplying fuel to molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFC) in industrial and utility power plants. The information and data necessary for this study were extracted from sources in the public domain, including reports from DOE, EPRI, and EPA; work sponsored in whole or in part by Federal agencies; and from trade journals, MCFC developers, and manufacturers. The configurations include entrained, fluidized-bed, gravitating-bed, and molten salt gasifiers, both air and oxygen blown. Desulfurization systems utilizing wet scrubbing processes, such as Selexol and Rectisol II, and dry sorbents, such as iron oxide and dolomite, were chosen for evaluation.

This interim report provides documentation on the third task, Analysis of Individual Component Cost and/or Energy Efficiencies, of DOE Contract No. ET-78-C-01-2866, Evaluation of Higher Distribution and/or Utilization Voltages. The work performed under this task includes the development of both cost and energy loss models for the distribution and customer utilization system elements as well as the analysis of critical performance variables for the types of motors in end use elements, as a function of voltage level. The purpose of this task is to provide individual component cost and energy models which will be incorporated in the global system optimization program under Task 4. A major output of this task is a mathematical model for each component's cost and/or energy losses and a graphical representation of each model.

... with Executive Order 13141-Environmental Review of Trade Agreements (64 FR 63,169, Nov. 18, 1999) and its implementing guidelines (65 FR 79,442, Dec. 19, 2000) and report on such reviews to the Committee... behalf of the Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC), invites written comments from the public on...

Each year hydrogen and fuel cell projects funded by DOE's Hydrogen Program are reviewed for their merit during an Annual Merit Review and Peer Evaluation Meeting. The 2008 Annual Merit Review, held June 9-13, 2008 in Arlington, Va., showcased nearly 300 projects. Hydrogen and fuel cell principal investigators representing the offices of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Fossil Energy, Nuclear Energy, and Science presented their project status and results in oral and poster presentations,

Each year hydrogen and fuel cell projects funded by DOE's Hydrogen Program are reviewed for their merit during an Annual Merit Review and Peer Evaluation Meeting. The 2007 Annual Merit Review, held May 15-18, 2007 in Washington, D.C., showcased approximately 300 projects. Hydrogen and fuel cell principal investigators representing the offices of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Fossil Energy, Nuclear Energy, and Science presented their project status and results in oral and poster presen

At Colorado Northwestern Community College (CNCC), all educational programs, as well as student services and support functions, are formally reviewed/evaluated in depth at least once every five years. This nine-part outline, providing a step-by-step description of the program review process at CNCC, includes the following sections: (1) the value…

An objective evaluation of the latest atmospheric re-analysis ERA-Interim water vapor in the UTLS is presented by using global in-situ measurements of a large range of airborne measurement campaigns from 2001 to 2011. At the same time, the improvement of the ECMWF operational forecast skill of water vapor is addressed for particular time periods representing different Integrated Forecast System (IFS) cycles. Water vapor measurements are derived from the Fast In-situ Stratospheric Hygrometer (FISH). The meridional extent of these measurements is from the tropics toward the poles. In the vertical, measurements cover isentropic levels from 300 to 400 K and altitudes roughly from 5 to 18 km. The ratio Δ(H2O) = H2OERA/H2OFISH is used as a simple measure for the difference between observations and the re-analysis simulations. Overall, the re-analysis data reproduce around 87% of all FISH measurements within Δ(H2O) = 0.5 - 2, whereas around 27% are within Δ(H2O) = 0.9 - 1.1. Nevertheless, ERA-Interim may even more strongly over- and underestimate FISH water vapor depending on the local atmospheric condition both in the troposphere and in the stratosphere. Δ(H2O) values are found between 0.1 up to 10, with smaller deviations in the stratosphere (Δ(H2O) = 0.5 - 4) than in the troposphere (Δ(H2O) = 0.5 - 10). In the entire tropical stratosphere a ratio of better than Δ(H2O) = 0.5 - 2 is found. Toward the extratropical stratosphere this ratio weakens with Δ(H2O) = 0.1 - 4 through dynamical processes at the extratropical tropopause. Finally, largest deviations between ERA-Interim and the observations are found in the tropical and extratropical troposphere as well as in the extratropical lower stratosphere. The operational forecast skill improves over the time, in particular when comparing water vapor fields for time periods before 2004 and after 2010. In any event, influences of tropical tropospheric processes as well as extratropical lower stratospheric processes on

The author spent years in central-office administration, most recently in an interim position. Some interim administrators simply see themselves as placeholders until the real deal is hired, giving the organization the opportunity to coast. There are others who see themselves as change agents and cannot wait to undo or redo what their predecessor…

Evaluations of the interim term or 4-1-4 program at various colleges have been generally favorable. A detailed evaluation of the Rider College interim study program based on faculty and student reports indicated that the more nontraditionally oriented courses were rated higher than the more traditional offerings. (Editor/PG)

The purpose of this review is to evaluate the final forms that have been proposed for radioactive-containing solid wastes and to determine their application to the solid wastes that will result from the treatment of newly generated liquid low-level waste (NGLLLW) and Melton Valley Storage Tank (MVST) supernate at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Since cesium and strontium are the predominant radionuclides in NGLLLW and MVST supernate, this review is focused on the stabilization and solidification of solid wastes containing these radionuclides in cement, glass, and polymeric materials-the principal waste forms that have been tested with these types of wastes. Several studies have shown that both cesium and strontium are leached by distilled water from solidified cement, although the leachabilities of cesium are generally higher than those of strontium under similar conditions. The situation is exacerbated by the presence of sulfates in the solution, as manifested by cracking of the grout. Additives such as bentonite, blast-furnace slag, fly ash, montmorillonite, pottery clay, silica, and zeolites generally decrease the cesium and strontium release rates. Longer cement curing times (>28 d) and high ionic strengths of the leachates, such as those that occur in seawater, also decrease the leach rates of these radionuclides. Lower cesium leach rates are observed from vitrified wastes than from grout waste forms. However, significant quantities of cesium are volatilized due to the elevated temperatures required to vitrify the waste. Hence, vitrification will generally require the use of cleanup systems for the off-gases to prevent their release into the atmosphere.

This interim report of findings from studies by SREL has updated information on several key components of the Steel Creek ecosystem. We have emphasized two categories of the Steel Creek biota: Endangered Species (American alligator) and species for which environmental degradation within SRP boundaries might result in changes in offsite resource abundance. Wintering waterfowl surveys in the vicinity of the Steel Creek delta have demonstrated a pattern of increased utilization over the duration of these studies (1981-83). Wood stork utilization of SRP swamp areas also appeared to be substantially increased relative to previous years. Thermal alteration of the Steel Creek delta areas will eliminate this area as wood stork foraging habitat. Anadromous fish utilization of the Steel Creek area was also substantially increased in 1983 relative to 1982. The differences in anadromous fish species utilization patterns between 1982 and 1983 are probably a result of the markedly different river flow conditions between the two years. Studies of the American alligator have continued. No further reproduction by alligators has been observed in the Steel Creek system. 24 references, 14 figures, 13 tables.

This report is the second in a series of summary briefings to the National Academy of Science`s (NAS) Committee on Radioactive Waste Management dealing with feasibility of disposal of heat-producing radioactive waste in silicic tuff. The interim status of studies of tuff properties determined on samples obtained from Yucca Mountain and Rainier Mesa (G-tunnel) located on the Nevada Test Site (NTS) are discussed. In particular, progress is described on resolving issues identified during the first briefing to the NAS which include behavior of water in tuff when heated, the effect of the presence or absence of water and joints on the thermal/physical properties of tuff and the detailed/complex sorptive properties of highly altered and unaltered tuff. Initial correlations of thermal/physical and sorptive properties with the highly variable porosity and mineralogy are described. Three in-situ, at-depth field experiments, one nearly completed and two just getting underway are described. In particular, the current status of mineralogy and petrology, geochemistry, thermal and mechanical, radiation effects and water behavior studies are described. The goals and initial results of a Mine Design Working Group are discussed. Regional factors such as seismicity, volcanism and hydrology are not discussed.

This document outlines a ground-water monitoring plan for the 216-B-63 trench located in the northeast corner of the 200-East Area on the Hanford Site in southeastern Washington State. It has been determined that hazardous materials (corrosives) were disposed of to the trench during past operations. Installation of an interim-status ground-water monitoring system is required to determine whether hazardous chemicals are leaching to the ground water from beneath the trench. This document summarizes the existing data that are available from near the 216-B-63 trench and presents a plan to determine the extent of ground-water contamination, if any, derived from the trench. The plan calls for the installation of four new monitoring wells located near the west end of the trench. These wells will be used to monitor ground-water levels and water quality immediately adjacent to the trench. Two existing RCRA monitoring wells, which are located near the trench and hydraulically upgradient of it, will be used as background wells. 46 refs., 15 figs., 12 tabs.

... PROGRAMMATIC REGULATIONS FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE EVERGLADES RESTORATION PLAN Ensuring Protection of the Natural... restoration success of the Plan may be evaluated, and ultimately reported to Congress in accordance with § 385...) Purpose. (1) Interim goals are a means by which the restoration success of the Plan may be evaluated...

The School Choice Demonstration Project has published a series of reports written in the fifth and final year of its evaluation of the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP). This review is of Report #32, which compares the test performance of MPCP students to that of a sample of students from the Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS). The comparisons…

The School Choice Demonstration Project has published a series of reports written in the fifth and final year of its evaluation of the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP). This review is of "Report #29," a five-year longitudinal growth study, which found that a sample of elementary and middle school MPCP students outperformed a matched sample…

The School Choice Demonstration Project has published a series of reports written in the fifth and final year of its evaluation of the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP). This review is of Report #30, a final follow up to a five-year study examining high school graduation and post-secondary enrollment rates for students participating in the…

The capability of a set of 7 coordinated regional climate model simulations performed in the framework of the CLARIS-LPB Project in reproducing the mean climate conditions over the South American continent has been evaluated. The model simulations were forced by the ERA-Interim reanalysis dataset for the period 1990-2008 on a grid resolution of 50 km, following the CORDEX protocol. The analysis was focused on evaluating the reliability of simulating mean precipitation and surface air temperature, which are the variables most commonly used for impact studies. Both the common features and the differences among individual models have been evaluated and compared against several observational datasets. In this study the ensemble bias and the degree of agreement among individual models have been quantified. The evaluation was focused on the seasonal means, the area-averaged annual cycles and the frequency distributions of monthly means over target sub-regions. Results show that the Regional Climate Model ensemble reproduces adequately well these features, with biases mostly within ±2 °C and ±20 % for temperature and precipitation, respectively. However, the multi-model ensemble depicts larger biases and larger uncertainty (as defined by the standard deviation of the models) over tropical regions compared with subtropical regions. Though some systematic biases were detected particularly over the La Plata Basin region, such as underestimation of rainfall during winter months and overestimation of temperature during summer months, every model shares a similar behavior and, consequently, the uncertainty in simulating current climate conditions is low. Every model is able to capture the variety in the shape of the frequency distribution for both temperature and precipitation along the South American continent. Differences among individual models and observations revealed the nature of individual model biases, showing either a shift in the distribution or an overestimation

This document presents an evaluation of actions taken by the Texas State Board of Education during the 1991-92 school year to achieve the goals and objectives of its "Long-Range Plan." Following the vision statement, an evaluation summary describes progress made toward statewide education goals. Each of the nine chapters after the evaluation…

Formal training programs for ultrasonic inspection of boiling water reactor (BWR) piping for intergranular stress-corrosion cracking (IGSCC) have been provided by the EPRI NDE Center since 1983. Separate courses are available for detection and sizing of IGSCC in unrepaired piping. A third course addresses inspection for IGSCC in piping which has been repaired by the weld overlay method. It is the policy of EPRI and EPRI NDE Center management to review these programs periodically, using both expertise internal to the NDE Center staff and from outside sources. This report provides the results of a review of the NDE Center IGSCC ultrasonic inspection training by a group of individuals who have no permanent relationshiip with the NDE Center, but who possess recognized expertise in the subject area.

Cold Smoke is a dense white smoke produced by the reaction of titanium tetrachloride and aqueous ammonia aerosols. Early studies on the toxicity of this nonpyrotechnically generated smoke indicated that the smoke itself is essentially non-toxic (i.e. exhibits to systemic toxicity or organ damage due to exposure) under normal deployment conditions. The purpose of this evaluation was to review and summarize the recent literature data available on the toxicity of Cold Smoke, its chemical constituents, and its starting materials.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has been contracted through the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) and the Grant County Public Utility District (GCPUD) to perform an evaluation of juvenile fall chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) stranding on the Hanford Reach. The evaluation, in the second year of a multi-year study, has been developed to assess the impacts of water fluctuations from Priest Rapids Dam on rearing juvenile fall chinook salmon, other fish species, and benthic macroinvertebrates of the Hanford Reach. This document provides the results of the 1998 field season.

EPA is approximately 20 months into a project to evaluate the performance of wood coatings as a way to prevent arsenic, chromium and copper exposure from the surfaces of CCA treated wood. Potential dermal exposure, as measured by wipe sampling dislodgeable CCA chemical from wood ...

The Job-Oriented Basic Skills (JOBS) program was evaluated to determine whether it could compensate for skill deficiencies of lower aptitude personnel so that they could successfully complete Navy technical schools and perform to standard in the fleet. JOBS curricula were developed for four content strands (aggregations of 12 Class "A" schools…

The Evaluation of Worker Profiling and Reemployment Services (WPRS) systems was designed to provide the U.S. Department of Labor information on how states are designing, implementing, and operating their worker profiling and reemployment services systems for dislocated workers and to compare the effectiveness of different state approaches to…

The Case Management Partnership Initiative (CMPI) addresses chronic truancy by linking truant ninth graders and their families to social services and case management, along with regular interagency case management meetings. A pilot was conducted at Anacostia and Ballou High Schools in 2011-2012. The implementation evaluation found that the pilot…

This report describes the second-year results for an evaluation of the School Choice Scholarships Foundation (SCSF) program to award 1,300 scholarships so that children of low-income families in grades 1 through 4 in New York City public schools could transfer to private schools. Because the scholarships were awarded through a lottery, the…

Noting that many children in the United States are not well nourished despite the recent economic boom, the state of Maryland began the Maryland Meals for Achievement (MMFA) program, a demonstration project to see if providing a classroom breakfast free to all students can improve student nutrition and academic achievement. This interim report…

Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) is an extract of the pepper plant used for centuries as a culinary spice (hot peppers). This material has been identified as a safe and effective Less-Than- Lethal weapon for use by Law enforcement and security professionals against assault. The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is currently also evaluating its use in conjunction with other Less-Than-Lethal agents such as aqueous foam for use in corrections applications. Therefore, a comprehensive toxicological review of the literature was performed for the National Institute of Justice Less-Than-Lethal Force program to review and update the information available on the toxicity and adverse health effects associated with OC exposure. The results of this evaluation indicate that exposure to OC can result in dermatitis, as well as adverse nasal, pulmonary, and gastrointestinal effects in humans. The primary effects of OC exposure include pain and irritation of the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, and lining of the mouth. Blistering and rash have been shown to occur after chronic or prolonged dermal exposure. Ingestion of capsicum may cause acute stinging of the lips, tongue, and oral mucosa and may lead to vomiting and diarrhea with large doses. OC vapors may also cause significant pulmonary irritation and prolonged cough. There is no evidence of long term effects associated with an acute exposure to OC, and extensive use as a culinary additive and medicinal ointment has further provided no evidence of long term adverse effects following repeated or prolonged exposure.

A literature review was conducted to identify methodologies that could be used to interpret paleohydrologic environments. Paleohydrology is the study of past hydrologic systems or of the past behavior of an existing hydrologic system. The purpose of the review was to evaluate how well these methodologies could be applied to the siting of low-level radioactive waste facilities. The computer literature search queried five bibliographical data bases containing over five million citations of technical journals, books, conference papers, and reports. Two data-base searches (United States Geological Survey - USGS) and a manual search were also conducted. The methodologies were examined for data requirements and sensitivity limits. Paleohydrologic interpretations are uncertain because of the effects of time on hydrologic and geologic systems and because of the complexity of fluvial systems. Paleoflow determinations appear in many cases to be order-of-magnitude estimates. However, the methodologies identified in this report mitigate this uncertainty when used collectively as well as independently. That is, the data from individual methodologies can be compared or combined to corroborate hydrologic predictions. In this manner, paleohydrologic methodologies are viable tools to assist in evaluating the likely future hydrology of low-level radioactive waste sites.

Objectives To describe and evaluate the implementation and adoption of detailed electronic health records in secondary care in England and thereby provide early feedback for the ongoing local and national rollout of the NHS Care Records Service. Design A mixed methods, longitudinal, multisite, socio-technical case study. Setting Five NHS acute hospital and mental health trusts that have been the focus of early implementation efforts and at which interim data collection and analysis are complete. Data sources and analysis Dataset for the evaluation consists of semi-structured interviews, documents and field notes, observations, and quantitative data. Qualitative data were analysed thematically with a socio-technical coding matrix, combined with additional themes that emerged from the data. Main results Hospital electronic health record applications are being developed and implemented far more slowly than was originally envisioned; the top-down, standardised approach has needed to evolve to admit more variation and greater local choice, which hospital trusts want in order to support local activity. Despite considerable delays and frustrations, support for electronic health records remains strong, including from NHS clinicians. Political and financial factors are now perceived to threaten nationwide implementation of electronic health records. Interviewees identified a range of consequences of long term, centrally negotiated contracts to deliver the NHS Care Records Service in secondary care, particularly as NHS trusts themselves are not party to these contracts. These include convoluted communication channels between different stakeholders, unrealistic deployment timelines, delays, and applications that could not quickly respond to changing national and local NHS priorities. Our data suggest support for a “middle-out” approach to implementing hospital electronic health records, combining government direction with increased local autonomy, and for restricting

Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMM) are widely used in industry, throughout the Nuclear Weapons Complex and at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) to verify part conformance to design definition. Calibration cycles for CMMs at LANL are predominantly one year in length. Unfortunately, several nonconformance reports have been generated to document the discovery of a certified machine found out of tolerance during a calibration closeout. In an effort to reduce risk to product quality two solutions were proposed – shorten the calibration cycle which could be costly, or perform an interim check to monitor the machine’s performance between cycles. The CMM interim check discussed makes use of Renishaw’s Machine Checking Gauge. This off-the-shelf product simulates a large sphere within a CMM’s measurement volume and allows for error estimation. Data was gathered, analyzed, and simulated from seven machines in seventeen different configurations to create statistical process control run charts for on-the-floor monitoring.

The objective of this siting study work is to support DOE in evaluating integrated advanced nuclear plant and ISFSI deployment options in the future. This study looks at several nuclear power plant growth scenarios that consider the locations of existing and planned commercial nuclear power plants integrated with the establishment of consolidated interim spent fuel storage installations (ISFSIs). This research project is aimed at providing methodologies, information, and insights that inform the process for determining and optimizing candidate areas for new advanced nuclear power generation plants and consolidated ISFSIs to meet projected US electric power demands for the future.

Transforming Writing is a two-year action research project which aims to develop a model for the teaching and learning of writing that more fully incorporates a focus on embedded formative assessment. In the first year of the project, the 12 participating schools developed a model of writing underpinned by Talk for Writing, an approach developed…

This booklet is about document analysis and its utility as a method in education evaluation, and is intended for evaluators in local school districts, regional education agencies, and state departments of education. Document analysis is described as a technique that relies heavily upon a variety of written materials for data, insights, and…

This document, one of a series of reports examining the possible contribution of other disciplines to evaluation methodology, describes the major elements of general systems theory (GST), cybernetics theory (CT) and management control theory (MCT). The author suggests that MCT encapsulates major concerns of evaluation since it reveals that…

An evaluation of the global ECMWF atmospheric reanalysis ERA-Interim (with a 0.5° grid) is performed over France, based on the high resolution (8 km) SAFRAN atmospheric reanalysis. The ERA-Interim precipitation, Incoming Solar Radiation (ISR), air temperature, air humidity, and wind speed, are compared with their SAFRAN counterparts. Also, interpolated in situ ISR observations are used in order to consolidate the evaluation of this variable. The daily precipitation estimates produced by ERA-Interim over France correlate very well with SAFRAN. However, the values are underestimated by 27%. A GPCP-corrected version of ERA-Interim is less biased (13%). The ERA-Interim estimates of ISR correlate very well with SAFRAN and with in situ observations on a daily basis. Whereas SAFRAN underestimates the ISR by 6 Wm-2, ERA-Interim overestimates the ISR by 10 Wm-2. In order to assess the impact of the ERA-Interim errors, simulations of the ISBA-A-gs land surface model are performed over the SMOSREX grassland site in southwestern France using ERA-Interim (with and without GPCP rescaling) and SAFRAN. Latent and sensible heat fluxes are simulated, together with carbon dioxide fluxes. The rescaled ERA-Interim performs better than the original ERA-Interim and permits to achieve flux scores similar to those obtained with SAFRAN.

An evaluation of the global ECMWF atmospheric reanalysis ERA-Interim (with a 0.5° grid) is performed over France, based on the high resolution (8 km) SAFRAN atmospheric reanalysis. The ERA-Interim precipitation, Incoming Solar Radiation (ISR), air temperature, air humidity, and wind speed, are compared with their SAFRAN counterparts. Also, interpolated in situ ISR observations are used in order to consolidate the evaluation of this variable. The daily precipitation estimates produced by ERA-Interim over France correlate very well with SAFRAN. However, the values are underestimated by 26%. A GPCP-corrected version of ERA-Interim is less biased (10-15%). The ERA-Interim estimates of ISR correlate very well with SAFRAN and with in situ observations on a daily basis. Whereas SAFRAN underestimates the ISR by 6-8 W m-2, ERA-Interim overestimates the ISR by 9-10 W m-2. In order to assess the impact of the ERA-Interim errors, simulations of the ISBA-A-gs land surface model are performed over the SMOSREX grassland site in southwestern France using ERA-Interim (with and without GPCP rescaling) and SAFRAN. Latent and sensible heat fluxes are simulated, together with carbon dioxide fluxes. The rescaled ERA-Interim performs better than the original ERA-Interim and permits to achieve flux scores similar to those obtained with SAFRAN.

High-level radioactive waste (HLW) stored at the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant (ICPP) in the form of calcine and liquid and liquid sodium-bearing waste (SBW) will be processed to provide a stable waste form and prepare the waste to be transported to a permanent repository. Because a permanent repository will not be available when the waste is processed, the waste must be stored at ICPP in an Interim Storage Facility (ISF). This report documents consideration of an ISF for each of the waste processing options under consideration.

The Idaho Cleanup Project has prepared this interim control strategy for the U.S. Department of Energy Idaho Operations Office pursuant to DOE Order 5400.5, Chapter 11.3e (1) to support continued discharges to the Test Area North/Technical Support Facility Sewage Treatment Facility Disposal Pond. In compliance with DOE Order 5400.5, a 2-year review of the Interim Control Strategy document has been completed. This submittal documents the required review of the April 2005 Interim Control Strategy. The Idaho Cleanup Project's recommendation is unchanged from the original recommendation. The Interim Control Strategy evaluates three alternatives: (1) re-route the discharge outlet to an uncontaminated area of the TSF-07; (2) construct a new discharge pond; or (3) no action based on justification for continued use. Evaluation of Alternatives 1 and 2 are based on the estimated cost and implementation timeframe weighed against either alternative's minimal increase in protection of workers, the public, and the environment. Evaluation of Alternative 3, continued use of the TSF-07 Disposal Pond under current effluent controls, is based on an analysis of four points: - Record of Decision controls will protect workers and the public - Risk of increased contamination is low - Discharge water will be eliminated in the foreseeable future - Risk of contamination spread is acceptable. The Idaho Cleanup Project recommends Alternative 3, no action other than continued implementation of existing controls and continued deactivation, decontamination, and dismantlement efforts at the Test Area North/Technical Support Facility.

... AND CONTRIBUTIONS Awards for Scientific and Technical Contributions § 1240.106 Review and evaluation... recommend an award for such contribution when, upon evaluation of its scientific and technical merits, it...

... AND CONTRIBUTIONS Awards for Scientific and Technical Contributions § 1240.106 Review and evaluation... recommend an award for such contribution when, upon evaluation of its scientific and technical merits, it...

... AND CONTRIBUTIONS Awards for Scientific and Technical Contributions § 1240.106 Review and evaluation... recommend an award for such contribution when, upon evaluation of its scientific and technical merits, it...

... AND CONTRIBUTIONS Awards for Scientific and Technical Contributions § 1240.106 Review and evaluation... recommend an award for such contribution when, upon evaluation of its scientific and technical merits, it...

This report presents a study of alternative system architectures to provide onsite interim storage for the immobilized high-level waste produced by the Tank Waste Remediation System (TWRS) privatization vendor. It examines the contract and program changes that have occurred and evaluates their impacts on the baseline immobilized high-level waste (IHLW) interim storage strategy. In addition, this report documents the recommended initial interim storage architecture and implementation path forward.

This report for Australia forms part of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Review on Evaluation and Assessment Frameworks for Improving School Outcomes. The purpose of the Review is to explore how systems of evaluation and assessment can be used to improve the quality, equity and efficiency of school education. The…

This study presents an approach that converts the vertical profiles of grid-averaged cloud properties from large-scale models to probability density functions (pdfs) of subgrid-cell cloud physical properties measured at satellite footprints. Cloud physical and radiative properties, rather than just cloud and precipitation occurrences, of assimilated cloud systems by the European Center for Medium-range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) operational analysis (EOA) and ECMWF Re-Analyses (ERA-40 and ERA Interim) are validated against those obtained from Earth Observing System satellite cloud object data for January-August 1998 and March 2000 periods. These properties include ice water path (IWP), cloud-top height and temperature, cloud optical depth and solar and infrared radiative fluxes. Each cloud object, a contiguous region with similar cloud physical properties, is temporally and spatially matched with EOA and ERA-40 data. Results indicate that most pdfs of EOA and ERA-40 cloud physical and radiative properties agree with those of satellite observations of the tropical deep convective cloud-object type for the January-August 1998 period. There are, however, significant discrepancies in selected ranges of the cloud property pdfs such as the upper range of EOA cloud top height. A major discrepancy is that the dependence of the pdfs on the cloud object size for both EOA and ERA-40 is not as strong as in the observations. Modifications to the cloud parameterization in ECMWF that occurred in October 1999 eliminate the clouds near the tropopause but shift power of the pdf to lower cloud-top heights and greatly reduce the ranges of IWP and cloud optical depth pdfs. These features persist in ERA-40 due to the use of the same cloud parameterizations. The downgrade of data assimilation technique and the lack of snow water content information in ERA-40, not the coarser horizontal grid resolution, are also responsible for the disagreements with observed pdfs of cloud physical

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) requested that the U.S. Geological Survey conduct an independent technical review of the Interim Risk Assessment (IRA) and Contaminant Screening for the Waste Area Group 7 (WAG-7) Remedial Investigation, the draft Addendum to the Work Plan for Operable Unit 7-13/14 WAG-7 comprehensive Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study (RI/FS), and supporting documents that were prepared by Lockheed Martin Idaho Technologies, Inc. The purpose of the technical review was to assess the data and geotechnical approaches that were used to estimate future risks associated with the release of the actinides americium, uranium, neptunium, and plutonium to the Snake River Plain aquifer from wastes buried in pits and trenches at the Subsurface Disposal Area (SDA). The SDA is located at the Radioactive Waste Management Complex in southeastern Idaho within the boundaries of the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory. Radionuclides have been buried in pits and trenches at the SDA since 1957 and 1952, respectively. Burial of transuranic wastes was discontinued in 1982. The five specific tasks associated with this review were defined in a ?Proposed Scope of Work? prepared by the DOE, and a follow-up workshop held in June 1998. The specific tasks were (1) to review the radionuclide sampling data to determine how reliable and significant are the reported radionuclide detections and how reliable is the ongoing sampling program, (2) to assess the physical and chemical processes that logically can be invoked to explain true detections, (3) to determine if distribution coefficients that were used in the IRA are reliable and if they have been applied properly, (4) to determine if transport model predictions are technically sound, and (5) to identify issues needing resolution to determine technical adequacy of the risk assessment analysis, and what additional work is required to resolve those issues.

In this paper we review several novel approaches for research evaluation. We start with a brief overview of the peer review, its controversies, and metrics for assessing efficiency and overall quality of the peer review. We then discuss five approaches, including reputation-based ones, that come out of the research carried out by the LiquidPub project and research groups collaborated with LiquidPub. Those approaches are alternative or complementary to traditional peer review. We discuss pros and cons of the proposed approaches and conclude with a vision for the future of the research evaluation, arguing that no single system can suit all stakeholders in various communities. PMID:22174702

This report provides the conclusions of the tank farm interim pretreatment technology decision process. It documents the methodology, data, and results of the selection of cross-flow filtration and ion exchange technologies for implementation in project W-551, Interim Pretreatment System. This selection resulted from the evaluation of specific scope criteria using quantitative and qualitative analyses, group workshops, and technical expert personnel.

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the use of interim assessments and the policy supports that promote their use to change instruction, focusing on elementary school mathematics. The authors use the term "interim assessments" to refer to assessments that: a) evaluate student knowledge and skills, typically within a limited time…

...)(11) of Regulation S-K, (17 CFR 229.601(b)(11)). (3) If, during the most recent interim period... accordance with the provisions of Item 601 of Regulation S-K, 17 CFR 229.601) in the first Form 10-Q after... Form 10-Q (17 CFR 249.308(a)) must be reviewed by an independent public accountant using...

...)(11) of Regulation S-K, (17 CFR 229.601(b)(11)). (3) If, during the most recent interim period... accordance with the provisions of Item 601 of Regulation S-K, 17 CFR 229.601) in the first Form 10-Q after... Form 10-Q (17 CFR 249.308(a)) must be reviewed by an independent public accountant using...

The report presents a review of known cyanide destruction technologies with respect to applicability, feasibility, effectiveness and cost. Particular emphasis was placed on the destruction of complex cyanides. Laboratory studies were conducted to evaluate a photocatalytic process...

... SPECIFIC SERVICES Home and Community-Based Services Waivers for Individuals Age 65 or Older: Waiver... receiving home and community-based waiver services under this subpart. (b) Evaluation and assessment review... manager, caseworker, benefit authorizer, or any similar position, may serve as member of a review...

... SPECIFIC SERVICES Home and Community-Based Services Waivers for Individuals Age 65 or Older: Waiver... receiving home and community-based waiver services under this subpart. (b) Evaluation and assessment review... relationship. (d) Number and location of review teams. A sufficient number of teams must be located within...

... 45 Public Welfare 3 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Review and evaluation. 1176.6 Section 1176.6 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) NATIONAL FOUNDATION ON THE ARTS AND THE HUMANITIES NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES PART-TIME CAREER EMPLOYMENT § 1176.6 Review and...

... 45 Public Welfare 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Review and evaluation. 1176.6 Section 1176.6 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) NATIONAL FOUNDATION ON THE ARTS AND THE HUMANITIES NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES PART-TIME CAREER EMPLOYMENT § 1176.6 Review and...

... 45 Public Welfare 3 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Review and evaluation. 1176.6 Section 1176.6 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) NATIONAL FOUNDATION ON THE ARTS AND THE HUMANITIES NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES PART-TIME CAREER EMPLOYMENT § 1176.6 Review and...

... 45 Public Welfare 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Review and evaluation. 1176.6 Section 1176.6 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) NATIONAL FOUNDATION ON THE ARTS AND THE HUMANITIES NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES PART-TIME CAREER EMPLOYMENT § 1176.6 Review and...

... 45 Public Welfare 3 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Review and evaluation. 1176.6 Section 1176.6 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) NATIONAL FOUNDATION ON THE ARTS AND THE HUMANITIES NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES PART-TIME CAREER EMPLOYMENT § 1176.6 Review and...

...The U.S Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff is issuing for use of, and to solicit public comment on, draft Interim Staff Guidance (ISG) ESP/COL-ISG-026, ``Interim Staff Guidance on Environmental Issues Associated with New Reactors.'' The purpose of this ISG is to clarify the NRC guidance and application of NUREG 1555, ``Standard Review Plans for Environmental Reviews for Nuclear Power......

This report presents the interim results of analyses carried out in the Phillip Burton Federal Building in San Francisco from 1996 to 1998. The building is the site of a major demonstration of the BACnet communication protocol. The energy management and control systems (EMCS) in the building were retrofitted with BACnet compatible controllers in order to integrate certain existing systems on one common network. In this respect, the project has been a success. Interoperability of control equipment from different manufacturers has been demonstrated in a real world environment. Besides demonstrating interoperability, the retrofits carried out in the building were also intended to enhance control strategies and capabilities, and to produce energy savings. This report presents analyses of the energy usage of HVAC systems in the building, control performance, and the reaction of the building operators. The report does not present an evaluation of the performance capabilities of the BACnet protocol. A monitoring system was installed in the building that parallels many of the EMCS sensors and data were archived over a three-year period. The authors defined pre-retrofit and post-retrofit periods and analyzed the corresponding data to establish the changes in building performance resulting from the retrofit activities. The authors also used whole-building energy simulation (DOE-2) as a tool for evaluating the effect of the retrofit changes. The results of the simulation were compared with the monitored data. Changes in operator behavior were assessed qualitatively with questionnaires. The report summarizes the findings of the analyses and makes several recommendations as to how to achieve better performance. They maintain that the full potential of the EMCS and associated systems is not being realized. The reasons for this are discussed along with possible ways of addressing this problem. They also describe a number of new technologies that could benefit systems of the type

This article is the result of the work of the andrology task-force of the Association of Applied Animal Andrology, American College of Theriogenologists, European College of Animal Reproduction, Society for Theriogenology, and National Association of Animal Breeders. It is intended to serve as a comprehensive reference on methods to evaluate sperm concentration and to contribute to the adoption of best practices in veterinary andrology laboratories. The information covered in the article includes sample preparation and the use of manual counts, spectrophotometers, computer-assisted semen analysis, NucleoCounter, and flow cytometry. Emphasis is given to the principles of the methods and equipment, performing the evaluation, and common mistakes and/or pitfalls. In addition, the precision and accuracy of the different methods are also discussed. PMID:27045626

Token economies have been applied in a wide range of settings. While there are several advantages to the use of this procedure, there are obstacles that may impede its implementation and therapeutic efficacy. These include: staff training, client resistance, circumvention of the contingencies, and non-responsiveness of subjects. Studies employing token programs with psychiatric patients, retardates, children in classroom settings, delinquents, and autistic children are reviewed. Although token economies are successful while in operation, the issue of generalization of behavior gains or resistance to extinction has not been given careful consideration. Inasmuch as generalization is perhaps the most crucial issue, several procedures are presented that are designed to facilitate maintenance of performance when reinforcement is withdrawn. Methodological suggestions for investigations on token reinforcement in applied settings are presented. PMID:16795358

With the rapid turnover of health care information and the ongoing need for content revision, traditional textbooks may no longer serve as reliable, current resources for nursing students. Nurse educators, challenged to select relevant resources, are looking to handheld technology, or personal digital assistants (PDAs), for teaching and learning. The National League for Nursing Task Group on Instructional Technology has undertaken a review of articles in an attempt to summarize current literature regarding the use of PDAs in nursing. This article reports on the task group's findings. The task group identified a variety of articles and summarized relevant information for nursing education. Findings from the literature indicate that PDA use in the classroom and clinical setting has become more prevalent. However, only a small number of articles provide evidence about the effectiveness of PDAs in nursing. Most provide descriptive information and are also of value. PMID:20635623

There are three general approaches to evaluating sleep disturbance in regards to noise: subjective, behavioral, and physiological. Subjective methods range from standardized questionnaires and scales to self-report measures designed for specific research questions. There are two behavioral methods that provide useful sleep disturbance data. One behavioral method is actigraphy, a motion detector that provides an empirical estimate of sleep quantity and quality. An actigraph, worn on the non-dominant wrist, provides a 24-hr estimate of the rest/activity cycle. The other method involves a behavioral response, either to a specific probe or stimuli or subject initiated (e.g., indicating wakefulness). The classic, gold standard for evaluating sleep disturbance is continuous physiological monitoring of brain, eye, and muscle activity. This allows detailed distinctions of the states and stages of sleep, awakenings, and sleep continuity. Physiological delta can be obtained in controlled laboratory settings and in natural environments. Current ambulatory physiological recording equipment allows evaluation in home and work settings. These approaches will be described and the relative strengths and limitations of each method will be discussed.

Whenever evaluations are done, there are antinomies of interests both within and between stakeholders. To account for such antinomies, taxonomy has been developed which will be presented and discussed using the peer review processes in university evaluations as example. The taxonomy contains four dimensions: a) seven values domains are…

In its seventh year of evaluating children's services, the Children's Program Outcome Review Team (CPORT), under the direction of the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth, continued to collect and analyze data to improve service delivery to children and families involved in state custody. The CPORT evaluation for 2000 collected and organized…

Peer evaluation research was reviewed from three major perspectives--validity, methodology, and situational factors. Most of the studies focused on either concurrent or predicitve validity in a military training situation. Evaluation criteria included leadership potential, promotion potential, personality traits, and supervisory skills.…

Aqueous foams are aggregates of bubbles mechanically generated by passing air or other gases through a net, screen, or other porous medium that is wetted by an aqueous solution of surface-active foaming agents (surfactants). Aqueous foams are important in modem fire-fighting technology, as well as for military uses for area denial and riot or crowd control. An aqueous foam is currently being developed and evaluated by Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) as a Less-Than-Lethal Weapon for the National Institute of Justice (NIJ). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the toxicity of the aqueous foam developed for the NIJ and to determine whether there are any significant adverse health effects associated with completely immersing individuals without protective equipment in the foam. The toxicity of the aqueous foam formulation developed for NIJ is determined by evaluating the toxicity of the individual components of the foam. The foam is made from a 2--5% solution of Steol CA-330 surfactant in water generated at expansion ratios ranging from 500:1 to 1000:1. SteoI CA-330 is a 35% ammonium laureth sulfate in water and is produced by Stepan Chemical Company and containing trace amounts (<0.1%) of 1,4-dioxane. The results of this study indicate that Steol CA-330 is a non-toxic, mildly irritating, surfactant that is used extensively in the cosmetics industry for hair care and bath products. Inhalation or dermal exposure to this material in aqueous foam is not expected to produce significant irritation or systemic toxicity to exposed individuals, even after prolonged exposure. The amount of 1,4-dioxane in the surfactant, and subsequently in the foam, is negligible and therefore, the toxicity associated with dioxane exposure is not significant. In general, immersion in similar aqueous foams has not resulted in acute, immediately life-threatening effects, or chronic, long-term, non-reversible effects following exposure.

The former Homestake gold mine in Lead South Dakota is proposed for the National Science Foundation's Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory (DUSEL). The gold mine provides expedient access to depths in excess of 8000 feet below the surface (>7000 mwe). Homestake's long history of promoting scientific endeavours includes the Davis Solar Neutrino Experiment, a chlorine-based experiment that was hosted at the 4850 Level for more than 30 years. As DUSEL, Homestake would be uncompromised by competition with mining interests or other shared uses. The facility's 600-km of drifts would be available for conversion for scientific and educational uses. The State of South Dakota, under Governor Rounds' leadership, has demonstrated exceptionally strong support for Homestake and the creation of DUSEL. The State has provided funding totalling $46M for the preservation of the site for DUSEL and for the conversion and operation of the Homestake Interim Laboratory. Motivated by the strong educational and outreach potential of Homestake, the State contracted a Conversion Plan by world-recognized mine-engineering contractor to define the process of rehabilitating the facility, establishing the appropriate safety program, and regaining access to the facility. The State of South Dakota has established the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority to oversee the transfer of the Homestake property to the State and the rehabilitation and preservation of the facility. The Homestake Scientific Collaboration and the State of South Dakota's Science and Technology Authority has called for Letters of Interest from scientific, educational and engineering collaborations and institutions that are interested in hosting experiments and uses in the Homestake Interim Facility in advance of the NSF's DUSEL, to define experiments starting as early as 2007. The Homestake Program Advisory Committee has reviewed these Letters and their initial report has been released. Options for

This Interim Operational Safety Requirements document supports the authorization basis for interim operations and identifies restrictions on interim operations for the disposal and storage of solid waste in the Central Waste Complex. The Central Waste Complex Interim Operational Safety Requirements provide the necessary controls on operations in the Central Waste Complex to ensure the radiological and hazardous material exposure will be acceptable from an overall health and safety standpoint to the worker, the onsite personnel, 1327 the public and the environment.

An interim president often plays a crucial role in leading a college or university. In some instances, the interim can address and resolve troublesome issues and thus clear the way for the new president to generate progress. In others, the interim stays the course so that the institution maintains its momentum and seizes strategic opportunities to…

The purpose of the Voluntary Public School Choice (VPSC) Program is to assist states and local school districts in the development of innovative strategies to expand options for students, and to encourage transfers of students from low-performing to higher-performing schools. This report presents interim findings from the National Evaluation of…

Illinois State Board of Vocational Education and Rehabilitation, Springfield. Div. of Vocational and Technical Education.

The second interim report covers the time period from July 1, 1974 to June 30, 1975, phase two of the project. The document consists of four separate reports: a report summary, reports of the two demonstration centers, and a third party evaluation by Educational Management Services, Inc. The 13-page summary describes the overall project. A 39-page…

This report provides interim guidelines for reducing the impact to fire fighting and other supporting emergency response personnel from the multiple hazards of radiation, heat stress, and trauma when fighting a fire in a United States commercial nuclear power plant. Interim guidelines are provided for fire brigade composition, training, equipment, procedures, strategies, heat stress and trauma. In addition, task definitions are provided to evaluate and further enhance the interim guidelines over the long term. 19 refs.

A review of the literature pertaining to the effect and influence of commercially-prepared interim assessments in mathematics and language arts literacy reveals a lack of quantitative data to determine the value of these products for school reform. This study examined the ability of commercially-prepared interim pretest and posttest assessments in…

... Office of the Secretary 32 CFR Part 211 Mission Compatibility Evaluation Process AGENCY: Office of the... with other proposal review processes not included in section 358, such as those applied by the Bureau... interim final rule in the Federal Register on October 20, 2011, at 76 FR 65112. The public comment...

, cost, and schedule. The NIF Director controls the NNDP Interim Management Plan. A Draft Program Execution Plan (PEP) for the National NIF Diagnostics Program has been also been prepared (NIF-0072083, Oct 2001, attached as Attachment 1) that describes the NNDP technical, cost, and schedule baselines, the method by which the NNDP will fund and monitor the work to be done by the participating laboratories; the process for controlling changes; and the associated reporting and review process. This plan is expected to be approved by the relevant stakeholders at the appropriate time; however, since October 2001, the NNDP has been operating according to the processes laid out in the draft PEP. Below is a summary of the most important aspects of the NNDP that are being applied during this interim period before approval of the full PEP.

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) requires owners and operators of facilities that treat, store, or dispose of hazardous waste (TSDFs) to obtain an operating permit. Recognizing that it would take EPA many years to issue operating permits to all RCRA facilities, Congress created ``interim status`` under Section 3005(e) of the Act. Interim status allows facilities to operating permits to all RCRA facilities to operate under Subtitle C of RCRA until their permits are issued or denied. This information brief defines interim status and describes how failure to meet interim status requirements may lead to loss of interim status (LOIS).

Background For clinical trials of interventions that could affect mortality or major morbidity, Data Monitoring Committees have an important role in safeguarding patient interests and enhancing trial integrity and credibility. In trials overseen by an independent DMC it is widely recognized that interim data should remain confidential to the DMC and to the statistical group preparing reports. However, we have found that the principle of confidentiality is not always followed in practice, particularly where the interim data include complete results on a short-term outcome measure. Purpose To discuss the reasoning and evidence supporting the principle of confidentiality of interim data with emphasis on the setting where the interim data include complete results on a short-term outcome. Methods We review the reasons why wider access to interim data can increase the risk of false positive or false negative conclusions and discuss the types of harm which can occur. We provide illustrations and insights from recent experiences and discuss the level of consensus in the research community. Results The arguments in favor of early release of interim data include the need to provide reliable data in a timely manner to patients and physicians, the potential to increase the enthusiasm of trial investigators, and to restore equipoise. However interim data, even where these include complete results on a short-term outcome measure, provide an unreliable and biased assessment of the overall benefit-to-risk profile of the trial treatments. Pre-judgment based on over-interpretation of such interim data can affect recruitment, treatment delivery, and follow-up, risking the ability of the trial to achieve its goals. Conclusions In order to preserve the integrity of a trial and safeguard the interests of patients, interim data, including complete data on short-term outcomes, should remain confidential to the DMC and the statistical group responsible for preparing interim reports until

NASA requested that a committee under the auspices of the National Research Council's Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board carry out an assessment of NASA's Exploration Technology Development Program (ETDP). Organizationally, this program functions under the direction of NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate and is charged with developing new technologies that will enable NASA to conduct future human and robotic exploration missions, while reducing mission risk and cost. The Committee to Review NASA's Exploration Technology Development Program has been tasked to examine how well the program is aligned with the stated objectives of the President's Vision for Space Exploration (VSE), to identify gaps in the program, and to assess the quality of the research. The full statement of task is given in Appendix A. The committee consists of 25 members and includes a cross section of senior executives, engineers, researchers, and other aerospace professionals drawn from industry, universities, and government agencies with expertise in virtually all the technical fields represented within the program.

This document establishes regulations to address data breaches regarding sensitive personal information that is processed or maintained by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The regulations implement certain provisions of Title IX of the Veterans Benefits, Health Care, and Information Technology Act of 2006, which require promulgation of these regulations as an interim final rule. PMID:17674483

Patient safety practices, targeting organisational changes for improving patient safety, are implemented worldwide but their costs are rarely evaluated. This paper provides a review of the methods used in economic evaluation of such practices. International medical and economics databases were searched for peer-reviewed publications on economic evaluations of patient safety between 2000 and 2010 in English and French. This was complemented by a manual search of the reference lists of relevant papers. Grey literature was excluded. Studies were described using a standardised template and assessed independently by two researchers according to six quality criteria. 33 articles were reviewed that were representative of different patient safety domains, data types and evaluation methods. 18 estimated the economic burden of adverse events, 3 measured the costs of patient safety practices and 12 provided complete economic evaluations. Healthcare-associated infections were the most common subject of evaluation, followed by medication-related errors and all types of adverse events. Of these, 10 were selected that had adequately fulfilled one or several key quality criteria for illustration. This review shows that full cost-benefit/utility evaluations are rarely completed as they are resource intensive and often require unavailable data; some overcome these difficulties by performing stochastic modelling and by using secondary sources. Low methodological transparency can be a problem for building evidence from available economic evaluations. Investing in the economic design and reporting of studies with more emphasis on defining study perspectives, data collection and methodological choices could be helpful for strengthening our knowledge base on practices for improving patient safety. PMID:22396602

Homogenized data series of total ozone measurements taken by the regularly and well calibrated Dobson and Brewer spectrophotometers at Hradec Králové (Czech) and the data from the re-analyses ERA-40 and ERA-Interim were assimilated and combined to investigate differences between the particular data sets over Central Europe, the NH mid-latitudes. The Dobson-to-Brewer transfer function and the algorithm for approximation of the data from the re-analyses were developed, tested and applied for creation of instrumentally consistent and completed total ozone data series of the 50-yr period 1961-2010 of observations. The assimilation has reduced the well-known seasonal differences between Dobson and Brewer data below the 1% calibration limit of the spectrophotometers. Incorporation of the ERA-40 and ERA-Interim total ozone data on days with missing measurements significantly improved completeness and reliability of the data series mainly in the first two decades of the period concerned. Consistent behaviour of the original and assimilated data sets was found in the pre-ozone-hole period (1961-1985). In the post-Pinatubo (1994-2010) era the data series show seasonal differences that can introduce uncertainty in estimation of ozone recovery mainly in the winter-spring season when the effect of the Montreal Protocol and its Amendments is expected. All the data sets confirm substantial depletion of ozone also in the summer months that gives rise to the question about its origin. The assimilated and completed data series of total ozone will be further analyzed to quantify chemical ozone losses and contribution of natural atmospheric processes to the ozone depletion over the region. This case study points out importance of selection and evaluation of the quality and consistency of the input data sets used in estimation of long-term ozone changes including recovery of the ozone layer over the selected areas. Data are available from the PANGAEA database at

Homogenized data series of total ozone measurements taken by the regularly and well calibrated Dobson and Brewer spectrophotometers at Hradec Králové (Czech) and the data from the re-analyses ERA-40 and ERA-Interim were merged and compared to investigate differences between the particular data sets originated in Central Europe, the Northern Hemisphere (NH) mid-latitudes. The Dobson-to-Brewer transfer function and the algorithm for approximation of the data from the re-analyses were developed, tested and applied for creation of instrumentally consistent and completed total ozone data series of the 50-yr period 1961-2010 of observations. This correction has reduced the well-known seasonal differences between Dobson and Brewer data below the 1% calibration limit of the spectrophotometers. Incorporation of the ERA-40 and ERA-Interim total ozone data on days with missing measurements significantly improved completeness and reliability of the data series mainly in the first two decades of the period concerned. Consistent behaviour of the original and corrected/merged data sets was found in the pre-ozone-hole period (1961-1985). In the post-Pinatubo (1994-2010) era the data series show seasonal differences that can introduce uncertainty in estimation of ozone recovery mainly in the winter-spring season when the effect of the Montreal Protocol and its Amendments is expected. All the data sets confirm substantial depletion of ozone also in the summer months that gives rise to the question about its origin. The merged and completed data series of total ozone will be further analyzed to quantify chemical ozone losses and contribution of natural atmospheric processes to the ozone depletion over the region. This case study points out the importance of selection and evaluation of the quality and consistency of the input data sets used in estimation of long-term ozone changes including recovery of the ozone layer over the selected areas. Data are available from the PANGAEA

Key documents such as the European Water Framework Directive and the U.S. Clean Water Act state that public and stakeholder participation in water resource management is required. Participation aims to enhance resource management and involve individuals and groups in a democratic way. Evaluation of participatory programs and projects is necessary to assess whether these objectives are being achieved and to identify how participatory programs and projects can be improved. The different methods of evaluation can be classified into three groups: (i) process evaluation assesses the quality of participation process, for example, whether it is legitimate and promotes equal power between participants, (ii) intermediary outcome evaluation assesses the achievement of mainly nontangible outcomes, such as trust and communication, as well as short- to medium-term tangible outcomes, such as agreements and institutional change, and (iii) resource management outcome evaluation assesses the achievement of changes in resource management, such as water quality improvements. Process evaluation forms a major component of the literature but can rarely indicate whether a participation program improves water resource management. Resource management outcome evaluation is challenging because resource changes often emerge beyond the typical period covered by the evaluation and because changes cannot always be clearly related to participation activities. Intermediary outcome evaluation has been given less attention than process evaluation but can identify some real achievements and side benefits that emerge through participation. This review suggests that intermediary outcome evaluation should play a more important role in evaluating participation in water resource management.

In this work, we present the results of high-resolution dynamical downscaling of air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, for the area of Poland, with the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. The model is configured using three nested domains, with spatial resolution of 45 km × 45 km, 15 km × 15 km and 5 km × 5 km. The ERA-Interim database is used for boundary conditions. The results are evaluated by comparison with station measurements for the period 1981-2010. The model is capable of reproducing the main climatological features of the study area. The results are in very close agreement with the measurements, especially for the air temperature. For all four meteorological variables, the model performance captures seasonal and daily cycles. For the air temperature and winter season, the model underestimates the measurements. For summer, the model shows higher values, compared with the measurements. The opposite is the case for relative humidity. There is a strong diurnal pattern in mean error, which changes seasonally. The agreement with the measurements is worse for the seashore and mountain areas, which suggests that the 5 km × 5 km grid might still have an insufficient spatial resolution. There is no statistically significant temporal trend in the model performance. The larger year-to-year changes in the model performance, e.g. for the years 1982 and 2010 for the air temperature should therefore be linked with the natural variability of meteorological conditions.

To better utilize evaluations in higher education, it is necessary to share the methods of reviewing reliability and validity of examination scores and grades, and to accumulate and share data for confirming results. Before the GPA system is first introduced into a university or college, the reliability of examination scores and grades, especially for essay examinations, must be assured. Validity is a complicated concept, so should be assured in various ways, including using professional audits, theoretical models, and statistical data analysis. Because individual students and teachers are continually improving, using evaluations to appraise their progress is not always compatible with using evaluations in appraising the implementation of accountability in various departments or the university overall. To better utilize evaluations and improve higher education, evaluations should be integrated into the current system by sharing the vision of an academic learning community and promoting interaction between students and teachers based on sufficiently reliable and validated evaluation tools.

WinCADRE (Computer-Aided Data Review and Evaluation) is a Windows -based program designed for computer-assisted data validation. WinCADRE is a powerful tool which significantly decreases data validation turnaround time. The electronic-data-deliverable format has been designed in...

WinCADRE (Computer-Aided Data Review and Evaluation) is a Windows -based program designed for computer-assisted data validation. WinCADRE is a powerful tool which significantly decreases data validation turnaround time. The electronic-data-deliverable format has been designed ...

Institutional surveys of student opinion emerged out of the turmoil of the late 1960s. Never intended to serve as professional evaluations, the surveys were the only tangible evidence of teaching effectiveness until some faculty opened their classrooms for observation by chairs and colleagues. Historically, the "peer review of teaching" has…

After an extensive review of the literature concerned with evaluating career objectives, a literature with little cohesion, six areas were isolated as crucial indices of the adequacy of career education. These areas are: (1) self-awareness, (2) career-awareness, (3) decision-making skills, (4) overall school behavior, (5) career competencies, and…

This collection of reprints from The Computing Teacher contains 11 articles on the selection, evaluation, and organization of software published between August 1983 and March 1986, as well as more than 20 reviews of educational software packages published between December 1982 and June 1986. The articles are: (1) "The New Wave of Educational…

A process assessment was conducted to determine the effectiveness of the procedure used by the Bureau of Occupational and Adult Education, U.S. Office of Education (USOE), in conducting State Management EvaluationReviews for Compliance (MERC) with Federal legislation and regulations governing public vocational and adult education programs. The…

This review summarizes the literature concerning evaluations of the Open Admissions Policy at CUNY from September 1970, when it was initially implemented, to Aguust 1974. The summaries are categorized under six headings: (1) research reports, containing data on the impact of the open admissions policy on students; (2) research reports, containing…

Because of the size of its budget and the importance and complexity of its operation, the Division of Food Services in the Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools was one of the first selected for a series of Management Operations Review and Evaluation (MORE) studies. The Division directs the delivery of food services to all 178 schools in the…

The Learning Disability Evaluation Scale (LDES) was developed for educators to identify students with learning disabilities using observations. The instrument consists of 88 items arranged on seven subscales based on the federal government's definition of Learning Disabilities. This review is an attempt to describe the strengths and weaknesses of…

... RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ORGAN PROCUREMENT AND TRANSPLANTATION NETWORK § 121.10 Reviews, evaluation, and... carry out her/his responsibilities under the Public Health Service Act and the Social Security Act. (b... noncompliance is with a policy designated by the Secretary as covered by section 1138 of the Social Security...

Background: Schools experience a wide range of crime and disorder, victimizing students and staff, and undermining attempts to create a safe and orderly environment for student learning. Police have long established programs with schools, but there has been no systematic review of evaluations of these programs, outside of police-led prevention…

The purpose of this study was to determine if the Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) which was developed by the U. S. Navy as a management tool could be applied to a library process. Several chapters are devoted to an explanation of the tool and its advantages and limitations. Its potential value in library management is also…

The Westinghouse Hanford Company -- Tank Waste Remediation System Division (TWRS) Program is evaluating subsurface barrier technologies for potential use in supporting remediation of the Hanford Tank Farms for the US Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office (DOE-RL). An External Review Team (ERT) was assembled to perform an independent technical review of the work performed to-date supporting the evaluation process. A set of draft documents was forwarded to the ERT for their review, and a meeting was held August 10 through 12, 1994, to facilitate comments and resolutions. This document summarizes the meeting, the comments provided by the ERT, and the ongoing work to resolve the comments and support a pending decision by The US Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office; the Washington State Department of Ecology; and the US Environmental Protection Agency.

AIM: To systematically review economic evaluations in gastroenterology, relating to Brazil, published between 1980 and 2013. METHODS: We selected full and partial economic evaluations from among those retrieved by searching the following databases: MEDLINE (PubMed); Excerpta Medica; the Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature database; the Scientific Electronic Library Online; the database of the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination; the National Health Service (NHS) Economic Evaluation Database; the NHS Health Technology Assessment database; the Health Economics database of the Brazilian Virtual Library of Health; Scopus; Web of Science; and the Brazilian Network for the Evaluation of Health Technologies. Two researchers, working independently, selected the studies and extracted the data. RESULTS: We identified 535 health economic evaluations relating to Brazil and published in the 1980-2013 period. Of those 535 articles, only 40 dealt with gastroenterology. Full and partial economic evaluations respectively accounted for 23 (57.5%) and 17 (42.5%) of the 40 studies included. Among the 23 full economic evaluations, there were 11 cost-utility analyses, seven cost-effectiveness analyses, four cost-consequence analyses, and one cost-minimization analysis. Of the 40 studies, 25 (62.5%) evaluated medications; 7 (17.5%) evaluated procedures; and 3 (7.5%) evaluated equipment. Most (55%) of the studies were related to viral hepatitis, and most (63.4%) were published after 2010. Other topics included gastrointestinal cancer, liver transplantation, digestive diseases and hernias. Over the 33-year period examined, the number of such economic evaluations relating to Brazil, especially of those evaluating medications for the treatment of hepatitis, increased considerably. CONCLUSION: Further studies are needed in order to ensure that expenditures on health care in Brazil are made as fairly and efficiently as possible. PMID:26855823

A method is provided for predicting jet noise for a wide range of nozzle geometries and operating conditions of interest for aircraft engines. Jet noise theory, data and existing prediction methods was reviewed, and based on this information a interim method of jet noise prediction is proposed. Problem areas are idenified where further research is needed to improve the prediction method. This method predicts only the noise generated by the exhaust jets mixing with the surrounding air and does not include other noises emanating from the engine exhaust, such as combustion and machinery noise generated inside the engine (i.e., core noise). It does, however, include thrust reverser noise. Prediction relations are provided for conical nozzles, plug nozzles, coaxial nozzles and slot nozzles.

Evaluation efforts of utilities with active home energy audit programs are reviewed to suggest methodologies, issues, and data that can contribute to the development of a comprehensive Residential Conservation Service evaluation plan. On the basis mainly of written reports received from the utilities, findings about customer response to programs are summarized. The topics discussed include: correlates of program penetration rates; use of financing; attitudes toward programs; actions taken; characteristics of participants; and energy savings due to programs. Particular attention is given to three studies (Tennessee Valley Authority, Seattle City Light, and Pacific Gas and Electric) that analyze fuel consumption records as part of the evaluation.

Four public libraries participated in a two-year investigation of the provision of on line reference services in a public library setting. To evaluate the utility and cost of the service, data were collected about search statistics, usage patterns, costs, and impact on the library. This volume of the report contains the evaluation methodology,…

Obviously, there are a number of literatures concerning the usability of mobile commerce (m-commerce) applications and related areas, but they do not adequately provide knowledge about usability techniques used in most of the empirical usability evaluation for m-commerce application. Therefore, this paper is aimed at producing the usability techniques frequently used in the aspect of usability evaluation for m-commerce applications. To achieve the stated objective, systematic literature review was employed. Sixty seven papers were downloaded in usability evaluation for m-commerce and related areas; twenty one most relevant studies were selected for review in order to extract the appropriate information. The results from the review shows that heuristic evaluation, formal test and think aloud methods are the most commonly used methods in m-commerce application in comparison to cognitive walkthrough and the informal test methods. Moreover, most of the studies applied control experiment (33.3% of the total studies); other studies that applied case study for usability evaluation are 14.28%. The results from this paper provide additional knowledge to the usability practitioners and research community for the current state and use of usability techniques in m-commerce application.

With conventional fixed dental prostheses, the interim restoration is a valuable diagnostic tool in the evaluation of esthetics and function. To achieve predictable definitive esthetic results, information about the subgingival and the supragingival contour of a properly designed restoration should be communicated to the dental laboratory technician. The technique described enables the accurate transfer of the soft tissue morphology developed with an interim prosthesis to the definitive cast. This modified definitive cast allows the dental laboratory technician to fabricate a restoration with an emergence profile identical to that of the interim prosthesis. PMID:24286639

The safety evaluation report (SER) for Galileo was prepared by the Interagency Nuclear Safety Review Panel (INSRP) coordinators in accordance with Presidential directive/National Security Council memorandum 25. The INSRP consists of three coordinators appointed by their respective agencies, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy (DOE), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). These individuals are independent of the program being evaluated and depend on independent experts drawn from the national technical community to serve on the five INSRP subpanels. The Galileo SER is based on input provided by the NASA Galileo Program Office, review and assessment of the final safety analysis report prepared by the Office of Special Applications of the DOE under a memorandum of understanding between NASA and the DOE, as well as other related data and analyses. The SER was prepared for use by the agencies and the Office of Science and Technology Policy, Executive Office of the Present for use in their launch decision-making process. Although more than 20 nuclear-powered space missions have been previously reviewed via the INSRP process, the Galileo review constituted the first review of a nuclear power source associated with launch aboard the Space Transportation System.

This article presents a critical review of instruments used to evaluate compulsory schools in Sweden and is part of a doctoral programme project investigating the relationship between school architecture and learning. In Sweden, as in many countries, evaluation instruments are used both to improve school quality and as a means to provide…

Two alternative approaches were previously identified to provide second-generation interim storage of Immobilized High-Level Waste (IHLW). One approach was retrofit modification of the Fuel and Materials Examination Facility (FMEF) to accommodate IHLW. The results of the evaluation of the FMEF as the second-generation IHLW interim storage facility and subsequent decision process are provided in this document.

Since late 2007, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has undertaken the development of a 20-year Education Strategic Plan, has undergone an external review by the National Research Council of the National Academies, and has drafted a guiding document on an agency-wide approach for monitoring and evaluation of its education activities and programs. This presentation will review all these processes with special emphasis on lessons learned and on the implications of each one on NOAA’s ability to improve and better coordinate its educational portfolio.

The purpose of this report is to provide a methodology for an increase in the efficiency and a decrease in the cost of vitrifying high-level waste (HLW) by optimizing HLW glass formulation. This methodology consists in collecting and generating a database of glass properties that determine HLW glass processability and acceptability and relating these properties to glass composition. The report explains how the property-composition models are developed, fitted to data, used for glass formulation optimization, and continuously updated in response to changes in HLW composition estimates and changes in glass processing technology. Further, the report reviews the glass property-composition literature data and presents their preliminary critical evaluation and screening. Finally the report provides interim property-composition models for melt viscosity, for liquidus temperature (with spinel and zircon primary crystalline phases), and for the product consistency test normalized releases of B, Na, and Li. Models were fitted to a subset of the screened database deemed most relevant for the current HLW composition region.

This document is a response to the Photovoltaic Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1978 (P.L. 95-590) which required the generation of performance criteria for photovoltaic energy systems. Since the document is evolutionary and will be updated, the term interim is used. More than 50 experts in the photovoltaic field have contributed in the writing and review of the 179 performance criteria listed in this document. The performance criteria address characteristics of present-day photovoltaic systems that are of interest to manufacturers, government agencies, purchasers, and all others interested in various aspects of photovoltaic system performance and safety. The performance criteria apply to the system as a whole and to its possible subsystems: array, power conditioning, monitor and control, storage, cabling, and power distribution. They are further categorized according to the following performance attributes: electrical, thermal, mechanical/structural, safety, durability/reliability, installation/operation/maintenance, and building/site. Each criterion contains a statement of expected performance (nonprescriptive), a method of evaluation, and a commentary with further information or justification. Over 50 references for background information are also given. A glossary with definitions relevant to photovoltaic systems and a section on test methods are presented in the appendices. Twenty test methods are included to measure performance characteristics of the subsystem elements. These test methods and other parts of the document will be expanded or revised as future experience and needs dictate.

This Work Plan identifies and outlines interim measures to address nitrate contamination in groundwater at the Burn Site, Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico. The New Mexico Environment Department has required implementation of interim measures for nitrate-contaminated groundwater at the Burn Site. The purpose of interim measures is to prevent human or environmental exposure to nitrate-contaminated groundwater originating from the Burn Site. This Work Plan details a summary of current information about the Burn Site, interim measures activities for stabilization, and project management responsibilities to accomplish this purpose.

The University of Chicago's Chapin Hall Center for Children evaluated the progress of the Making the Most of Out-of-School Time (MOST) Initiative in Boston, Chicago, and Seattle. MOST's goals are to improve the supply, accessibility, affordability and quality of school-age care, especially for low-income children; and to strengthen the overall…

The objectives of this project were: (1) to determine the feasibility of adding a vapor-phase corrosion inhibitor (VCI) component to improve the preservation performance of MIL-L-21260 and (2) to evaluate a less complicated engine preservation procedure. A simultaneous two-phase approach was conducted. Phase 1 involved the formulation and evaluation of experimental VCI oils, while Phase 2 was the evaluation of a simplified engine preservation procedure. VCI oil formulation was conducted by Ronco Laboratory under subcontract. Compatibility of the experimental VCI oils with metal coupons, elastomers, and fuel filters was determined. Effectiveness of the experimental VCI oil was evaluated in a 3-year outdoor engine storage test. The engines were preserved using an experimental, simplified preservation procedure. The simplified engine preservation procedure proved to be acceptable as engines stored for 3 years in a very severe environment were judged to have been adequately preserved. Engine oil meeting specification MIL-L-21260 provided satisfactory protection during the 3-year storage test. The experimental VCI oil also provided satisfactory storage protection during this test; however, there was no observable advantage for the VCI oil. The VCI oil had acceptable compatibility with an elastomeric flex ring, metal coupons (except lead), and fuel filters.

Like other parts of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), duodenum is subject to a variety of lesions both congenital and acquired. However, unlike other parts of the GIT viz. esophagus, rest of the small intestine and large intestine, barium evaluation of duodenal lesions is technically more challenging and hence not frequently reported. With significant advances in computed tomography technology, a thorough evaluation including intraluminal, mural and extramural is feasible in a single non-invasive examination. Notwithstanding, barium evaluation still remains the initial and sometimes the only imaging study in several parts of the world. Hence, a thorough acquaintance with the morphology of various duodenal lesions on upper gastrointestinal barium examination is essential in guiding further evaluation. We reviewed our experience with various common and uncommon barium findings in duodenal abnormalities. PMID:25170399

Contents include the following: Identify the need for a robust communications and navigation architecture for the success of exploration and science missions. Describe an approach for specifying architecture alternatives and analyzing them. Establish a top level architecture based on a network of networks. Identify key enabling technologies. Synthesize capability, architecture and technology into an initial capability roadmap.

ABSTRACT Background: Economic evaluations should form part of the basis for public health decision making on new vaccine programs. While Canada's national immunization advisory committee does not systematically include economic evaluations in immunization decision making, there is increasing interest in adopting them. We therefore sought to examine the extent and quality of economic evaluations of vaccines in Canada. Objective: We conducted a systematic review of economic evaluations of vaccines in Canada to determine and summarize: comprehensiveness across jurisdictions, studied vaccines, funding sources, study designs, research quality, and changes over time. Methods: Searches in multiple databases were conducted using the terms “vaccine,” “economics” and “Canada.” Descriptive data from eligible manuscripts was abstracted and three authors independently evaluated manuscript quality using a 7-point Likert-type scale scoring tool based on criteria from the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Results: 42/175 articles met the search criteria. Of these, Canada-wide studies were most common (25/42), while provincial studies largely focused on the three populous provinces of Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia. The most common funding source was industry (17/42), followed by government (7/42). 38 studies used mathematical models estimating expected economic benefit while 4 studies examined post-hoc data on established programs. Studies covered 10 diseases, with 28/42 addressing pediatric vaccines. Many studies considered cost-utility (22/42) and the majority of these studies reported favorable economic results (16/22). The mean quality score was 5.9/7 and was consistent over publication date, funding sources, and disease areas. Conclusions: We observed diverse approaches to evaluate vaccine economics in Canada. Given the increased complexity of economic studies evaluating vaccines and the impact of results on public

Introduction: There is an increasing awareness to counteract problems due to incorrect antimicrobial use. Interventions that are implemented are often part of an Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (ASPs). Studies publishing results from these interventions are increasing, including reports on the economical effects of ASPs. This review will look at the economical sections of these studies and the methods that were used. Methods: A systematic review was performed of articles found in the PubMed and EMBASE databases published from 2000 until November 2014. Included studies found were scored for various aspects and the quality of the papers was assessed following an appropriate check list (CHEC criteria list). Results: 1233 studies were found, of which 149 were read completely. Ninety-nine were included in the final review. Of these studies, 57 only mentioned the costs associated with the antimicrobial medication. Others also included operational costs (n = 23), costs for hospital stay (n = 18), and/or other costs (n = 19). Nine studies were further assessed for their quality. These studies scored between 2 and 14 out of a potential total score of 19. Conclusions: This review gives an extensive overview of the current financial evaluation of ASPs and the quality of these economical studies. We show that there is still major potential to improve financial evaluations of ASPs. Studies do not use similar nor consistent methods or outcome measures, making it impossible draw sound conclusions and compare different studies. Finally, we make some recommendations for the future. PMID:25932024

•Objective To review published criteria for specifically evaluating health-related information on the World Wide Web and to identify areas of consensus in evaluation. •Design Search of Web sites and peer-reviewed medical journals for explicit criteria for evaluating health-related information on the Web using Medline and Lexis-Nexis databases and the following Internet search engines: Yahoo!, Excite, Altavista, Webcrawler, HotBot, Infoseek, Magellan Internet Guide, and Lycos. Criteria were extracted and grouped into categories. •Results Twenty-nine published rating tools and journal articles were identified that had explicit criteria for assessing health-related Web sites. Of the 165 criteria extracted from these tools and articles, 132 (80%) were grouped under 1 of 12 specific categories, and 33 (20%) were grouped as miscellaneous because they lacked specificity or were unique. The most frequently cited criteria were those dealing with the content, design, and aesthetics of a site; disclosure of authors, sponsors, or developers; currency of information (includes frequency of update, freshness, and maintenance of site); authority of source; ease of use; and accessibility and availability. •Conclusions Many authors agree on the key criteria for evaluating health-related Web sites and efforts to develop consensus criteria may be helpful. The next step is to identify and assess a clear, simple set of consensus criteria that the general public can understand and use. PMID:18751150

This technical report presents A.F. Meyer and Associates, Inc.'s evaluation of alternative means of providing the independent safety analysis reviews required under DOE 5481.1. The relative merits of the following entities performing the reviews are discussed: DOE Headquarters Staff; DOE Operations Offices; DOE Energy Technology Centers; Contractors/Consultants; and Organizational Combinations. This report is intended to provide a basis for a policy decision to be made by DOE officials. Thus, although the pros and cons of each alternative are delineated herein, no recommended course of action is specified.

This report identifies and recommends measures of impact that are applicable to the operation of at-grade light rail crossings within traffic signal systems. The key point in identifying measures of impact is to maintain consistency with traffic signal measures of impacts. The recommended measures of impact include average delay and queue length. The report illustrates how the analyst can apply both manual calculation methods and computer models to estimate these measures of impact. Included in the discussion is a screening procedure that is desinged to minimize total work effort by identifying impacts and mitigating them with the least intensive analysis method. However, if the analysis results are marginal, then full simulation of the traffic signal system including the light rail line is warranted. The recommended programs for such evaluation are TRANSYT-7F for simpler problems and Traf-NETSIM for complex problems and analysis of system variances.

The continued development of the improved corrosion rate meter (ICR) and the initial laboratory evaluation of commercially developed pH electrodes are discussed. The objective of this work is to develop a more flexible instrument that would respond with correct corrosion rates under a wider range of conditions. The ICR was successfully tested in the field and in the laboratory. Although commercial corrosion rate meters (CCRs) are adequate for many situations, the ICR is the most versatile instrument and gives more accurate corrosion rate measurements. Glass and ceramic pH electrodes were tested at 85/sup 0/C and 200/sup 0/. None of the electrodes performed well at 95/sup 0/C, and the glass pH electrodes either failed or had no pH response at 200/sup 0/C. The ceramic electrode performed well at 200/sup 0/C and is worthy of further development.

In a field evaluation conducted for the US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP), the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) examined the performance of a new US energy-related technology under the FEMP Test Bed Demonstration Program. The technology was a 15-ton natural gas engine driven roof top air conditioning unit. Two such units were installed on a naval retail building to provide space conditioning to the building. Under the Test Bed Demonstration Program, private and public sector interests are focused to support the installation and evaluation of new US technologies in the federal sector. Participating in this effort under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with DOE were the American Gas Cooling Center, Philadelphia Electric Company, Thermo King Corporation, and the US Naval Air Station at Willow Grove, Pennsylvania. Equipment operating and service data as well as building interior and exterior conditions were secured for the 1992 cooling season. Based on a computer assessment of the building using standard weather data, a comparison was made with the energy and operating costs associated with the previous space conditioning system. Based on performance during the 1992 cooling season and adjusted to a normal weather year, the technology will save the site $6,000/yr in purchased energy costs. An additional $9,000 in savings due to electricity demand ratchet charge reductions will also be realized. Detailed information on the technology, the installation, and the results of the technology test are provided to illustrate the advantages to the federal sector of using this technology. A history of the CRADA development process is also reported.

Chrysotile has been frequently used in the past in manufacturing brakes and continues to be used in brakes in many countries. This study was designed to provide an understanding of the biokinetics and potential toxicology following inhalation of brake dust following short term exposure in rats. The deposition, translocation and pathological response of brake dust derived from brake pads manufactured with chrysotile were evaluated in comparison to the amphibole, crocidolite asbestos. Rats were exposed by inhalation 6 h/day for 5 days to either brake dust obtained by sanding of brake-drums manufactured with chrysotile, a mixture of chrysotile and the brake dust or crocidolite asbestos. No significant pathological response was observed at any time point in either the brake dust or chrysotile/brake dust exposure groups. The long chrysotile fibers (> 20 μm) cleared quickly with T{sub 1/2} estimated as 30 and 33 days, respectively in the brake dust and the chrysotile/brake dust exposure groups. In contrast, the long crocidolite fibers had a T{sub 1/2} > 1000 days and initiated a rapid inflammatory response in the lung following exposure resulting in a 5-fold increase in fibrotic response within 91 days. These results provide support that brake dust derived from chrysotile containing brake drums would not initiate a pathological response in the lung following short term inhalation. - Highlights: • We evaluated brake dust w/wo added chrysotile in comparison to crocidolite asbestos. • Persistence, translocation, pathological response in the lung and pleural cavity. • Chrysotile cleared rapidly from the lung while the crocidolite asbestos persisted. • No significant pathology observed at any time point in the brake-dust groups. • Crocidolite produced pathological response - Wagner 4 interstitial fibrosis by 32d.

This interim report for the FY82 Fusion Breeder Program covers work performed during the scoping phase of the study, December, 1981-February 1982. The goals for the FY82 study are the identification and development of a reference blanket concept using the fission suppression concept and the definition of a development plan to further the fusion breeder application. The context of the study is the tandem mirror reactor, but emphasis is placed upon blanket engineering. A tokamak driver and blanket concept will be selected and studied in more detail during FY83.

... completion of the risk assessment. In units in which a child of less than 6 years of age moves in after the completion of the risk assessment, interim controls shall be completed no later than 90 days after the move... property, interim controls shall be completed no later than 12 months after completion of the...

... completion of the risk assessment. In units in which a child of less than 6 years of age moves in after the completion of the risk assessment, interim controls shall be completed no later than 90 days after the move... property, interim controls shall be completed no later than 12 months after completion of the...

... section. (c) Principles for developing interim goals. (1) RECOVER, using best available science and... available science. These goals may be modified, based on best available science and the adaptive assessment...) Improvement in native plant and animal abundance. (3) In developing the interim goals based upon water...

... section. (c) Principles for developing interim goals. (1) RECOVER, using best available science and... available science. These goals may be modified, based on best available science and the adaptive assessment...) Improvement in native plant and animal abundance. (3) In developing the interim goals based upon water...

THE "THESAURUS OF ERIC DESCRIPTORS (INTERIM)" SUPERSEDES, AND REPRESENTS A REFINEMENT OF, THE "THESAURUS OF ERIC DESCRIPTORS." THE INTERIM ISSUE IS A PRELIMINARY ERIC SYSTEM TOOL AND IS NOT TO BE CONSIDERED A COMPLETE REPRESENTATION OF THE FINAL PRODUCT. THIS REFINEMENT IS THE RESULT OF TWO MAJOR PROJECTS--(1) THE INCORPORATION OF SUGGESTIONS…

... completion of the risk assessment. In units in which a child of less than 6 years of age moves in after the completion of the risk assessment, interim controls shall be completed no later than 90 days after the move... property, interim controls shall be completed no later than 12 months after completion of the...

... completion of the risk assessment. In units in which a child of less than 6 years of age moves in after the completion of the risk assessment, interim controls shall be completed no later than 90 days after the move... property, interim controls shall be completed no later than 12 months after completion of the...

... completion of the risk assessment. In units in which a child of less than 6 years of age moves in after the completion of the risk assessment, interim controls shall be completed no later than 90 days after the move... property, interim controls shall be completed no later than 12 months after completion of the...

The purpose of Project S-4257, USF-UNH 150,000 Gallon Storage Tank, is to provide interim storage for the liquid uranyl nitrate (UNH) product from H-Canyon until the UNH can be processed in the new Uranium Solidification Facility (Project S-2052). NPSR was requested by Project Management and DOE-SR to perform a design compliance review for the UNH Storage Tank to support the Operational Readiness Review (ORR) and the Operational Readiness Evaluation (ORE), respectively. The project was reviewed against the design criteria contained in the DOE Order 6430.1A, General Design Criteria. This report documents the results of the compliance review.

The Advanced Technology Development Program is currently evaluating the performance of the second generation of Lithium-ion cells (i.e., Gen 2 cells). The 18650-size Gen 2 cells consist of a baseline chemistry and one variant chemistry. These cells were distributed over a matrix consisting of three states-of-charge (SOC) (60, 80, and 100% SOC), four temperatures (25, 35, 45, and 55°C), and three life tests (calendar-, cycle-, and accelerated-life). The calendar-life cells are clamped at an opencircuit voltage corresponding to 60% SOC and undergo a once-per-day pulse profile. The cycle-life cells are continuously pulsed using a profile that is centered around 60% SOC. The accelerated-life cells are following the calendar-life test procedures, but using the cycle-life pulse profile. Life testing is interrupted every four weeks for reference performance tests (RPTs), which are used to quantify changes in capacity, resistance, and power. The RPTs consist of a C1/1 and C1/25 static capacity tests, a low-current hybrid pulse power characterization test, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy at 60% SOC. Capacity-, power-, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy-based performance results are reported.

A broad survey of ride quality technology state-of-the-art and a review of user evaluation of this technology were conducted. During the study 17 users of ride quality technology in 10 organizations representing land, marine and air passenger transportation modes were interviewed. Interim results and conclusions of this effort are reported.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has embarked upon a course to acquire Hanford Site tank waste treatment and immobilization services using privatized facilities (RL 1996a). This plan contains a two-phased approach. Phase I is a proof-of-principle/connnercial demonstration- scale effort and Phase II is a fiill-scale production effort. In accordance with the planned approach, interim storage and disposal of various products from privatized facilities are to be DOE fumished. The high-level waste (BLW) interim storage options, or alternative architectures, were identified and evaluated to provide the framework from which to select the most viable method of Phase I BLW interim storage (Calmus 1996). This evaluation, hereafter referred to as the Alternative Architecture Evaluation, was performed to established performance and risk criteria (technical merit, cost, schedule, etc.). Based on evaluation results, preliminary architectures and path forward reconunendations were provided for consideration in the architecture decision- maldng process. The decision-making process used for selection of a Phase I solidified BLW interim storage architecture was conducted in accordance with an approved Decision Plan (see the attachment). This decision process was based on TSEP-07,Decision Management Procedure (WHC 1995). The established decision process entailed a Decision Board, consisting of Westinghouse Hanford Company (VY`HC) management staff, and included appointment of a VTHC Decision Maker. The Alternative Architecture Evaluation results and preliminary recommendations were presented to the Decision Board members for their consideration in the decision-making process. The Alternative Architecture Evaluation was prepared and issued before issuance of @C-IP- 123 1, Alternatives Generation and Analysis Procedure (WI-IC 1996a), but was deemed by the Board to fully meet the intent of WHC-IP-1231. The Decision Board members concurred with the bulk of the Alternative Architecture

Peer-supported review (also called peer observation) of teaching is a commonly implemented method of ascertaining teaching quality that supplements student feedback. A large variety of scheme formats with rather differing purposes are described in the literature. They range from purely formative, developmental formats that facilitate a tutor's reflection of their own teaching to reaffirm strengths and identify potential areas for development through to faculty- or institution-driven summative quality assurance-based schemes. Much of the current literature in this field focuses within general higher education and on the development of rating scales, checklists or observation tools to help guide the process. This study reports findings from a qualitative evaluation of a purely formative peer-supported review of teaching scheme that was implemented for general practice clinical tutors at our medical school and describes tutors' attitudes and perceived benefits and challenges when undergoing observation. PMID:26808793

This systematic review was conducted to summarize published pharmacoeconomic studies of Alzheimer's disease (AD) medications. Pharmacoeconomic studies were included in the review if they were published in English and contained a full and complete report of an original economic evaluation. The studies also had to be comparative in nature (i.e., cost-benefit, cost-effectiveness, cost-utility or cost-minimization analyses). Existing AD medications were found to dominate standard treatment (i.e., no drugs), or they were found to be more costly and more effective than standard treatment. Estimates of cost and effect varied widely because of different underlying models, assumptions and data sources. More research is needed to draw firmer conclusions regarding the overall cost-effectiveness of AD medications. PMID:20528379

A series of human factors evaluations were undertaken to better understand the contributing factors to human error in the teletherapy environment. Teletherapy is a multidisciplinary methodology for treating cancerous tissue through selective exposure to an external beam of ionizing radiation. A team of human factors specialists, assisted by a panel of radiation oncologists, medical physicists, and radiation therapists, conducted site visits to radiation oncology departments at community hospitals, university centers, and free-standing clinics. A function and task analysis was performed initially to guide subsequent evaluations in the areas of workplace environment, system-user interfaces, procedures, training, and organizational practices. To further acquire an in-depth and up-to-date understanding of the practice of teletherapy in support of these evaluations, a systematic literature review was conducted. Factors that have a potential impact on the accuracy of treatment delivery were of primary concern. The present volume is the literature review. The volume starts with an overview of the multiphased nature of teletherapy, and then examines the requirement for precision, the increasing role of quality assurance, current conceptualizations of human error, and the role of system factors such as the workplace environment, user-system interfaces, procedures, training, and organizational practices.

The next generation melter (NOM) development program includes a down selection process to aid in determining the recommended vitrification technology to implement into the WTP at the first melter change-out which is scheduled for 2025. This optioneering study presents a structured value engineering process to establish and assess evaluation criteria that will be incorporated into the down selection process. This process establishes an evaluation framework that will be used progressively throughout the NGM program, and as such this interim report will be updated on a regular basis. The workshop objectives were achieved. In particular: (1) Consensus was reached with stakeholders and technology providers represented at the workshop regarding the need for a decision making process and the application of the D{sub 2}0 process to NGM option evaluation. (2) A framework was established for applying the decision making process to technology development and evaluation between 2010 and 2013. (3) The criteria for the initial evaluation in 2011 were refined and agreed with stakeholders and technology providers. (4) The technology providers have the guidance required to produce data/information to support the next phase of the evaluation process. In some cases it may be necessary to reflect the data/information requirements and overall approach to the evaluation of technology options against specific criteria within updated Statements of Work for 2010-2011. Access to the WTP engineering data has been identified as being very important for option development and evaluation due to the interface issues for the NGM and surrounding plant. WRPS efforts are ongoing to establish precisely data that is required and how to resolve this Issue. It is intended to apply a similarly structured decision making process to the development and evaluation of LAW NGM options.

This document establishes the interim safety basis (ISB) for the 340 Waste Handling Facility (340 Facility). An ISB is a documented safety basis that provides a justification for the continued operation of the facility until an upgraded final safety analysis report is prepared that complies with US Department of Energy (DOE) Order 5480.23, Nuclear Safety Analysis Reports. The ISB for the 340 Facility documents the current design and operation of the facility. The 340 Facility ISB (ISB-003) is based on a facility walkdown and review of the design and operation of the facility, as described in the existing safety documentation. The safety documents reviewed, to develop ISB-003, include the following: OSD-SW-153-0001, Operating Specification Document for the 340 Waste Handling Facility (WHC 1990); OSR-SW-152-00003, Operating Limits for the 340 Waste Handling Facility (WHC 1989); SD-RE-SAP-013, Safety Analysis Report for Packaging, Railroad Liquid Waste Tank Cars (Mercado 1993); SD-WM-TM-001, Safety Assessment Document for the 340 Waste Handling Facility (Berneski 1994a); SD-WM-SEL-016, 340 Facility Safety Equipment List (Berneski 1992); and 340 Complex Fire Hazard Analysis, Draft (Hughes Assoc. Inc. 1994).

... 25 Indians 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false How does the Director conduct a periodic review and... DETERMINATION ACT Periodic Reviews § 224.132 How does the Director conduct a periodic review and evaluation? (a) The Director will conduct a periodic review and evaluation under the TERA, in consultation with...

... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false How does the Director conduct a periodic review and... DETERMINATION ACT Periodic Reviews § 224.132 How does the Director conduct a periodic review and evaluation? (a) The Director will conduct a periodic review and evaluation under the TERA, in consultation with...

... 25 Indians 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false How does the Director conduct a periodic review and... DETERMINATION ACT Periodic Reviews § 224.132 How does the Director conduct a periodic review and evaluation? (a) The Director will conduct a periodic review and evaluation under the TERA, in consultation with...

... 25 Indians 1 2012-04-01 2011-04-01 true How does the Director conduct a periodic review and... DETERMINATION ACT Periodic Reviews § 224.132 How does the Director conduct a periodic review and evaluation? (a) The Director will conduct a periodic review and evaluation under the TERA, in consultation with...

Abstract We hypothesized that the objective treatment response of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) was affected by many factors such as pathophysiological, biological, and pharmaceutical mechanisms. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the predictive significance of clinical prognostic factors and interim fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), and to find a new prognostic predictor significantly associated with DLBCL patients’ outcome. A total of 105 adult patients with DLBCL were reviewed. Each patient underwent an interim 18F-FDG PET/CT scan after the second chemotherapy cycle. The visual method based on the Deauville 5-point scale was used to evaluate the interim-PET/CT scans. The relationships among the prognostic factors, the 3-year progression-free survival (PFS) rate and overall survival (OS) rate were analyzed with Kaplan–Meier plots. The predictive value of the newly constructed prognostic score was analyzed with multivariate analysis (Cox proportional hazard regression model). The visual analysis showed statistically significant differences in both PFS and OS between the patients with a negative interim-PET/CT and those with a positive interim-PET/CT. Advanced age, advanced stage, and DLBCL subtype were also significantly associated with outcome. A new prognostic score that composed of the above 4 factors was obtained. New prognostic score stratified patients into 4 risk groups with 3-year PFS of 98.5%, 73.9%, 11.1%, and 0%, and 3-year OS of 100%, 91.3%, 55.6%, and 0% (P interim 18F-FDG PET/CT can provide significant independent prognostic information. Our work illustrates that the new prognostic score has the strongest potential for accurately prognostication, for

The State of Illinois has applied for Interim Authorization of its hazardous waste program under Subtitle C of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, as amended (RCRA) and EPA guidelines for the approval of State hazardous waste programs (40 CFR Part 123, Subpart F). USEPA has reviewed the Illinois hazardous waste program and has determined that the Illinois hazardous waste program is substantially equivalent to the Federal program. USEPA is hereby granting Phase I Interim Authorization to Illinois to operate a hazardous waste program in lieu of Phase I of the Federal hazardous waste program in its jurisdiction. PMID:10278121

This report provides the results of an engineering study that evaluated the available technologies for stabilizing the plutonium stored at the Plutonium Finishing Plant located at the hanford Site in southeastern Washington. Further processing of the plutonium may be required to prepare the plutonium for interim (<50 years) storage. Specifically this document provides the current plutonium inventory and characterization, the initial screening process, and the process descriptions and flowsheets of the technologies that passed the initial screening. The conclusions and recommendations also are provided. The information contained in this report will be used to assist in the preparation of the environmental impact statement and to help decision makers determine which is the preferred technology to process the plutonium for interim storage.

Since treatment of active disease remains the priority for tuberculosis control, donors and governments need to be convinced that investing resources in chemoprophylaxis provides health benefits and is good value for money. The limited evidence of cost effectiveness has often been presented in a fragmentary and inconsistent fashion. Objective. This review is aimed at critically reviewing the evidence of cost effectiveness of chemoprophylaxis against tuberculosis, identifying the important knowledge gaps and the current issues which confront policy makers. Methods. A systematic search on economic evaluations for chemoprophylaxis against tuberculosis was carried out, and the selected studies were checked for quality assessment against a standard checklist. Results. The review provides evidence of the cost effectiveness of chemoprophylaxis for all age groups which suggests that current policy should be amended to include a focus on older adults. Seven of the eight selected studies were undertaken wholly in high income countries but there are considerable doubts about the transferability of the findings of the selected studies to low and middle income countries which have the greatest incidence of latent tuberculosis infection. Conclusion. There is a pressing need to expand the evidence base to low and middle income countries where the vast majority of sufferers from tuberculosis live. PMID:22131996

We conducted a systematic review of the literature to critically analyse the evaluation and assessment frameworks that have been applied to telemedicine systems. Subjective methods were predominantly used for technical evaluation (59 %), e.g. Likert scale. Those including objective measurements (41%) were restricted to simple metrics such as network time delays. Only three papers included a rigorous standards based objective approach. Our investigation has been unable to determine a definitive standards-based telemedicine evaluation framework that exists in the literature that may be applied systematically to assess and compare telemedicine systems. We conclude that work needs to be done to address this deficiency. We have therefore developed a framework that has been used to evaluate videoconferencing systems telemedicine applications. Our method seeks to be simple to allow relatively inexperienced users to make measurements, is objective and repeatable, is standards based, is inexpensive and requires little specialist equipment. We use the EIA 1956 broadcast test card to assess resolution, grey scale and for astigmatism. Colour discrimination is assessed with the TE 106 and Ishihara 24 colour scale chart. Network protocol analysis software is used to assess network performance (throughput, delay, jitter, packet loss). PMID:17946758

Invasive evaluations play important roles in identifying epileptogenic zones and functional areas in patients with intractable focal epilepsy. This article reviews the usefulness, methods, and limitations of invasive evaluations for epilepsy surgery. Invasive evaluations include various types of intracranial electrodes such as stereotactically implanted intracranial depth electrodes (stereo-EEG), chronic subdural electrodes, and intraoperative electrocorticography. Scalp EEG is distorted by the skull, meninges, and skin. On the other hand, intracranial electrodes provide spatial information with higher resolution than scalp electrodes, thereby enabling further delineation of epileptogenic zones and mapping of functional areas with electrical stimulation. In addition, intracranial electrodes record a wide frequency range of electrical activity, which is not possible with scalp electrodes. The very slow potentials in ictal recordings, known as ictal direct current (DC) shifts and ictal/interictal high frequency oscillations, such as ripples (100-200 Hz) and fast ripples (200-500 Hz), have been correlated with the ictal onset zone and are a sensitive and specific marker for epileptogenicity. Furthermore, several studies reported that the electrical stimulation of epileptogenic zones elicited enhanced cortical evoked potentials, abnormal delayed or repetitive responses, and fast ripples. These responses may assist in the delineation of the epileptogenic cortex as a potential new marker. There are definite risks of complications associated with the use of intracranial electrodes. However, when an invasive evaluation is selected based on careful consideration of the risks and benefits, it provides useful information for establishing a strategy for epilepsy surgery. PMID:26948700

Decay data represent an important means of characterising and quantifying radioactive material, as well as providing an important route to our understanding of the structure of the nucleus. The principle decay parameters are defined in this review, prior to undertaking an applications-based assessment of the most relevant contemporary measurements, evaluations and compilations. Emphasis has been placed on the demands of a series of IAEA Co-ordinated Research Programmes that focus on decay data and gamma-ray standards. Some of the more important decay-data issues are also reviewed with respect to recent measurements that address the anomalies associated with intermediate- and long-lived radionuclides. Short-lived fission products pose significant characterisation problems due to their high degree of instability, although a combination of mass separation and complex detector arrays has resulted in rapid analyses and major advances in our understanding of their nuclear properties and structure. Finally, a select number of decay-data evaluations and compilations are discussed in terms of the powerful manipulation and communication capabilities of PCs, CD-ROMs and the Internet. PMID:11339533

Objective To review published criteria for specifically evaluating health related information on the world wide web, and to identify areas of consensus. Design Search of world wide web sites and peer reviewed medical journals for explicit criteria for evaluating health related information on the web, using Medline and Lexis-Nexis databases, and the following internet search engines: Yahoo!, Excite, Altavista, Webcrawler, HotBot, Infoseek, Magellan Internet Guide, and Lycos. Criteria were extracted and grouped into categories. Results 29 published rating tools and journal articles were identified that had explicit criteria for assessing health related web sites. Of the 165 criteria extracted from these tools and articles, 132 (80%) were grouped under one of 12 specific categories and 33 (20%) were grouped as miscellaneous because they lacked specificity or were unique. The most frequently cited criteria were those dealing with content, design and aesthetics of site, disclosure of authors, sponsors, or developers, currency of information (includes frequency of update, freshness, maintenance of site), authority of source, ease of use, and accessibility and availability. Conclusions Results suggest that many authors agree on key criteria for evaluating health related web sites, and that efforts to develop consensus criteria may be helpful. The next step is to identify and assess a clear, simple set of consensus criteria that the general public can understand and use. Key messagesMany organisations and individuals have published criteria to evaluate health related information on the world wide webA literature and world wide web search found that the most frequently cited criteria were those dealing with content, design and aesthetics of site, disclosure of authors, sponsors, or developers, currency of information, authority of source, and ease of useCriteria related to confidentiality and privacy were only cited by one authorConsensus regarding critical criteria for

The aim of this paper was to review the cost-effectiveness studies of implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) for primary or secondary prevention of sudden cardiac death (SCD). A systematic review of the literature published in English or Spanish was performed by electronically searching MEDLINE and MEDLINE in process, EMBASE, NHS-EED, and EconLit. Some keywords were implantable cardioverter defibrillator, heart failure, heart arrest, myocardial infarction, arrhythmias, syncope, sudden death. Selection criteria were the following: (1) full economic evaluations published after 1995, model-based studies or alongside clinical trials (2) that explored the cost-effectiveness of ICD with or without associated treatment compared with placebo or best medical treatment, (3) in adult patients for primary or secondary prevention of SCD because of ventricular arrhythmias. Studies that fulfilled these criteria were reviewed and data were extracted by two reviewers. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed and a narrative synthesis was prepared. In total, 24 studies were included: seven studies on secondary prevention and 18 studies on primary prevention. Seven studies were performed in Europe. For secondary prevention, the results showed that the ICD is considered cost-effective in patients with more risk. For primary prevention, the cost-effectiveness of ICD has been widely studied, but uncertainty about its cost-effectiveness remains. The cost-effectiveness ratios vary between studies depending on the patient characteristics, methodology, perspective, and national settings. Among the European studies, the conclusions are varied, where the ICD is considered cost-effective or not dependent on the study. PMID:25323413

TFA-MOD derived YBCO tapes are expected for many applications due to cost-efficiency. In some applications, uniformity and mechanical strength are required for tapes. A 205 m-long YBCO tape was fabricated with high and uniform Ic performance throughout the tape by adopting the interim annealing before the conversion process. The effect of the interim annealing on the crystal growth mechanism of YBCO has been studied focusing on the relationship between the interim annealing conditions and delamination, in this work. Delamination strength was evaluated in the samples prepared with and without interim annealing by the stud pull method. Measurements were carried out on 50 different points for each sample and the results were analyzed statistically. The difference between the two samples was remarkably seen in the delamination strength below 60 MPa. The conventionally annealed sample had more points with low delamination strength below 60 MPa than the interim annealed one. The cross sectional images of both samples observed by SEM showed that there were few pores within the interim annealed superconducting layer, although conventional superconducting layer had many pores. These results suggest that the pores within YBCO layer might be origins to be propagated for delamination at low strength.

Probabilistic risk analysis techniques, i.e., event tree and fault tree analysis, were utilized to provide a risk assessment of the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Unit 1. Browns Ferry 1 is a General Electric boiling water reactor of the BWR 4 product line with a Mark 1 (drywell and torus) containment. Within the guidelines of the IREP Procedure and Schedule Guide, dominant accident sequences that contribute to public health and safety risks were identified and grouped according to release categories.

...This notice announces the online publication of the Interim BIA Adult Detention Facility Guidelines and the Interim Model Deputation Agreements that will be used by the Office of Justice Services following passage of the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010. Three Interim Model Deputation Agreements will be used: one agreement for tribes in Public Law 83-280 States, one for tribes in Oklahoma, and......

This review examined the evaluation components from 10 awarded state improvement grants designed to improve systems providing services for students with disabilities. The review examined the following aspects of the evaluation components: purposes, conceptual framework for the evaluation and systems reform, evaluation design and approaches,…

In Europe, economic evaluation of flood management projects is increasingly used to help decision making. At the same time, the management of flood risk is shifting towards new concepts such as giving more room to water by restoring floodplains. Agricultural areas are particularly targeted by projects following those concepts since they are frequently located in floodplain areas and since the potential damage to such areas is expected to be lower than to cities or industries for example. Additional or avoided damage to agriculture may have a major influence on decisions concerning these projects and the economic evaluation of flood damage to agriculture is thus an issue that needs to be tackled. The question of flood damage to agriculture can be addressed in different ways. This paper reviews and analyzes existing studies which have developed or used damage functions for agriculture in the framework of an economic appraisal of flood management projects. A conceptual framework of damage categories is proposed for the agricultural sector. The damage categories were used to structure the review. Then, a total of 42 studies are described, with a detailed review of 26 of them, based on the following criteria: types of damage considered, the influential flood parameters chosen, and monetized damage indicators used. The main recommendations resulting from this review are that even if existing methods have already focused on damage to crops, still some improvement is needed for crop damage functions. There is also a need to develop damage functions for other agricultural damage categories, including farm buildings and their contents. Finally, to cover all possible agricultural damage, and in particular loss of activity, a farm scale approach needs to be used.

BACKGROUND. Interim methadone maintenance has been proposed as a method of providing clinically effective services to heroin addicts waiting for treatment in standard comprehensive methadone maintenance programs. METHODS. A clinic that provided initial medical evaluation, methadone medication, and AIDS education, but did not include formal drug abuse counseling or other social support services was established in New York City. A sample of 301 volunteer subjects recruited from the waiting list for treatment in the Beth Israel methadone program were randomly assigned to immediate entry into the interim clinic or a control group. RESULTS. There were no differences in initial levels of illicit drug use across the experimental and control groups. One-month urinalysis follow-up data showed a significant reduction in heroin use in the experimental group (from 63% positive at intake to 29% positive) with no change in the control group (62% to 60% positive). No significant change was observed in cocaine urinalyses (approximately 70% positive for both groups at intake and follow-up). A higher percentage of the experimental group were in treatment at 16-month follow-up (72% vs 56%). CONCLUSIONS. Limited services interim methadone maintenance can reduce heroin use among persons awaiting entry into comprehensive treatment and increase the percentage entering treatment. PMID:1659236

Hip pathology may cause groin pain, referred thigh or knee pain, refusal to bear weight or altered gait in the absence of pain. A young child with an irritable hip poses a diagnostic challenge. Transient synovitis, one of the most common causes of hip pain in children, must be differentiated from septic arthritis. Hip pain may be caused by conditions unique to the growing pediatric skeleton including Perthes disease, slipped capital femoral epiphysis and apophyseal avulsion fractures of the pelvis. Hip pain may also be referred from low back or pelvic pathology. Evaluation and management requires a thorough history and physical exam, and understanding of the pediatric skeleton. This article will review common causes of hip and pelvic musculoskeletal pain in the pediatric population. PMID:19450281

Each year, an estimated 443,000 people die of smoking-related diseases in the United States. Cigarette smoking results in more than $193 billion in medical costs and productivity losses annually. In an effort to reduce this burden, many states, the federal government, and several national organizations fund tobacco control programs and policies. For this report we reviewed existing literature on economic evaluations of tobacco control interventions. We found that smoking cessation therapies, including nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and self-help are most commonly studied. There are far fewer studies on other important interventions, such as price and tax increases, media campaigns, smoke free air laws and workplace smoking interventions, quitlines, youth access enforcement, school-based programs, and community-based programs. Although there are obvious gaps in the literature, the existing studies show in almost every case that tobacco control programs and policies are either cost-saving or highly cost-effective. PMID:19440269

Background Currently, the increasing interest in telehealth and significant technological breakthroughs of the past decade create favorable conditions for the widespread adoption of telehealth services. Therefore, expectations are high that telehealth can help alleviate prevailing challenges in health care delivery. However, in order to translate current research to policy and facilitate adoption by patients and health care providers, there is need for compelling evidence of the effectiveness of telehealth interventions. Such evidence is gathered from rigorously designed research studies, which may not always be practical in many real-world settings. Objective Our aim was to summarize current telehealth evaluation strategies and challenges and to outline practical approaches to conduct evaluation in real-world settings using one of our previously reported telehealth initiatives, the Diabetes Connect program, as a case study. Methods We reviewed commonly used current evaluation frameworks and strategies, as well as best practices based on successful evaluative efforts to date to address commonly encountered challenges in telehealth evaluation. These challenges in telehealth evaluation and commonly used frameworks are described relevant to the evaluation of Diabetes Connect, a 12-month Web-based blood glucose monitoring program. Results Designers of telehealth evaluation frameworks must give careful consideration to the elements of planning, implementation, and impact assessment of interventions. Evaluating performance at each of these phases is critical to the overall success of an intervention. Although impact assessment occurs at the end of a program, our review shows that it should begin at the point of problem definition. Critical to the success of an evaluative strategy is early planning that involves all stakeholders to identify the overall goals of the program and key measures of success at each phase of the program life cycle. This strategy should enable

This document contains information which was presented at a workshop regarding interim subsurface barrier technologies that could be used for underground storage tanks, particularly the tank 241-C-106 at the Hanford Reservation.

A new study analyzed data from the 2012/13 pilot of the Framework for Leadership (FFL), Pennsylvania's tool for evaluating the leadership practices of principals and assistant principals. Based on the FFL scores of 336 principals and 69 assistant principals evaluated by their supervisors in the 2012/13 school year, this interim report found that…

The SpringBoard Bursary Foundation (SpringBoard) commissioned the National Foundation for Education Research (NFER) to undertake an evaluation of its activities and impacts between 2013 and 2018. This interim and summary report presents the findings of the first year of the evaluation. SpringBoard was established in 2012 to transform the lives of…

This Interim Standard establishes requirements for evaluation, testing, and selection of materials that are intended for use in space vehicles, associated Ground Support Equipment (GSE), and facilities used during assembly, test, and flight operations. Included are requirements, criteria, and test methods for evaluating the flammability, offgassing, and compatibility of materials.

This interim report discusses the adjustments auditing firms are making as a result of the advent of the computer. Data were obtained from (1) a review of the literature, (2) attendance at professional association meetings, and (3) a series of interviews with accountants. The findings to date indicate that the normative patterns governing the…

This first interim assessment of the subsonic assessment (SASS) project attempts to summarize concisely the status of our knowledge concerning the impacts of present and future subsonic aircraft fleets. It also highlights the major areas of scientific uncertainty, through review of existing data bases and model-based sensitivity studies. In view of the need for substantial improvements in both model formulations and experimental databases, this interim assessment cannot provide confident numerical predictions of aviation impacts. However, a number of quantitative estimates are presented, which provide some guidance to policy makers.

Essential studies and analyses required to integrate the SRM into the booster and overall space shuttle system. Emphasis was placed on the case, nozzle, insulation, and propellant components with resulting performance, weight, and structural load characteristics being generated. Effort conducted during the time period of this contract included studies, analyses, planning, and preliminary design activities. Technical requirements identified in the SRM Project Request for Proposal No. 8-1-4-94-98401 and Thiokol's proposed SRM design (designated Configuration 0) established the basis for this effort. The requirements were evaluated jointly with MSFC and altered where necessary to incorporate new information that evolved after issuance of the RFP and during the course of this interim contract. Revised water impact loads and load distributions were provided based on additional model test data and analytical effort conducted by NASA subsequent to the RFP release. Launch pad peaking loads into the SRM aft skirt were provided which also represented a change from RFP requirements. A modified SRM/External Tank (ET) attachment configuration with new structural load data was supplied by NASA, and direction was received to include a 2 percent inert weight contingency.

Clays and clay minerals are widely used in many facets of our society. This review addresses the main clays of each phyllosilicate groups, namely, kaolinite, montmorillonite (Mt) and sepiolite, placing special emphasis on Mt and kaolinite, which are the clays that are more frequently used in food packaging, one of the applications that are currently exhibiting higher development. The improvements in the composite materials obtained from clays and polymeric matrices are remarkable and well known, but the potential toxicological effects of unmodified or modified clay minerals and derived nanocomposites are currently being investigated with increased interest. In this sense, this work focused on a review of the published reports related to the analysis of the toxicological profile of commercial and novel modified clays and derived nanocomposites. An exhaustive review of the main in vitro and in vivo toxicological studies, antimicrobial activity assessments, and the human and environmental impacts of clays and derived nanocomposites was performed. From the analysis of the scientific literature different conclusions can be derived. Thus, in vitro studies suggest that clays in general induce cytotoxicity (with dependence on the clay, concentration, experimental system, etc.) with different underlying mechanisms such as necrosis/apoptosis, oxidative stress or genotoxicity. However, most of in vivo experiments performed in rodents showed no clear evidences of systemic toxicity even at doses of 5000mg/kg. Regarding to humans, pulmonary exposure is the most frequent, and although clays are usually mixed with other minerals, they have been reported to induce pneumoconiosis per se. Oral exposure is also common both intentionally and unintentionally. Although they do not show a high toxicity through this pathway, toxic effects could be induced due to the increased or reduced exposure to mineral elements. Finally, there are few studies about the effects of clay minerals on

Healing following avulsion and replantation is dependent on the extent of pulpal and periodontal ligament (PDL) tissue damage. Therefore, immediate replantation is the recommended treatment of choice for an avulsed permanent tooth. To achieve a more favourable prognosis following tooth replantation, use of an appropriate interim transport medium is usually advocated. Numerous studies have researched and advocated the use of media like saliva, milk, Hank's Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS) and ViaSpan. However, current research has indicated the use of few newer media as promising interim transport media for an avulsed tooth. This review summarises the current developments regarding the introduction of newer interim transport media for the treatment of avulsed teeth. PMID:21738189

The overall goal of the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) Data Management and Analysis System (NDMAS) is to maintain data provenance for all NGNP data including the Methods component of NGNP data. Multiple means are available to access data stored in NDMAS. A web portal environment allows users to access data, view the results of qualification tests and view graphs and charts of various attributes of the data. NDMAS also has methods for the management of the data output from VHTR simulation models and data generated from experiments designed to verify and validate the simulation codes. These simulation models represent the outcome of mathematical representation of VHTR components and systems. The methods data management approaches described herein will handle data that arise from experiment, simulation, and external sources for the main purpose of facilitating parameter estimation and model verification and validation (V&V). A model integration environment entitled ModelCenter is used to automate the storing of data from simulation model runs to the NDMAS repository. This approach does not adversely change the why computational scientists conduct their work. The method is to be used mainly to store the results of model runs that need to be preserved for auditing purposes or for display to the NDMAS web portal. This interim report demonstrates the currently development of NDMAS for Methods data and discusses data and its qualification that is currently part of NDMAS.

Know Your Body is a comprehensive school health promotion program for kindergarten through six grades, initially developed in the 1970s by the American Health Foundation. The impact of the KYB program has been evaluated in three field trials, the results of which have been reviewed in this article. Across the three studies, at 3-year follow-up, consistent positive intervention effects were reported for systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, smoking, HDL-cholesterol, and health knowledge. Results for total blood cholesterol, fitness score, heart-healthy snacks, fruit/vegetable intake, whole milk intake, and health attitudes were mixed. For body mass index, triceps skinfold, all remaining dietary variables, self-esteem/self-efficacy, and locus of control no significant effects were observed. Overall, significant treatment effects were reported for 19 of the 40 variables assessed at 3-year follow-up, an effects ratio of 48%. Consistent positive results at 5-year follow-up were reported for smoking and health knowledge. Mixed results were obtained for total blood cholesterol, diastolic blood pressure, and percent kilocalories from saturated fat. Consistent null results were reported for HDL-cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, body mass index, triceps skinfold, fitness score, percentage kilocalories from fat, cholesterol intake, and fiber intake. Overall, significant treatment effects were reported for 7 of 36 variables at 5-year follow-up, an effects ratio of 19%. Although reported program effects were largely mixed, they seem consistent with other health education evaluations. Null results may have been related to insufficient teacher implementation as well as weaknesses in design and assessment. Additional research is needed to determine the effect of the program on a broader range of outcomes, to what degree increasing the "dose" produces larger and more enduring treatment effects, and the relative impact of the various components that comprise the

The Children's Program Outcome Review Team (CPORT), under the direction of the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth, collects and analyzes data to improve service delivery to children and families involved in state custody. Using the Quality Service Review methodology, the Commission conducted 282 intensive case reviews on a random sample of…

This paper reviews two studies that evaluated the school feeding program in Jamaica. The first examined 115 children aged 12-13 y who were enrolled in three classes in a poor, rural school. One class was served the standard school meal at 0900 whereas the other two classes served as controls. The outcome variables included school achievement, attendance, and weight gain. After one semester, the class receiving the meal showed improved arithmetic scores and school attendance compared with the control classes; however, they showed no weight gain. The academic improvement remained significant after school attendance was controlled for. It was therefore hypothesized that the gains in arithmetic resulted from the alleviation of hunger in the classroom. The other study, conducted in a metabolic ward, examined the effects of missing breakfast on cognitive function in 90 children aged 9-10 y and of differing nutritional status. Using a crossover design, the investigators tested each child on two mornings 1 wk apart, once after serving them breakfast and second without. Breakfast, consisting of the school program meal, was served at 0800. When severely malnourished, stunted, or wasted children received no breakfast, their performance in various cognitive tests deteriorated. These results indicate that alleviation of hunger was one of the mechanisms by which school feeding improved academic achievement in the previous study. Undernourished children are more likely to benefit from school feeding programs than are adequately nourished children. PMID:9537630

There is compelling evidence supporting the importance of maintaining confidentiality of interim data in clinical trials designed to reliably address the benefit-to-risk profile of interventions. While this is widely recognized, creative approaches are needed to achieve this in challenging settings where interim data are released for regulatory review and action, even though the trial would be continued to address its primary hypothesis. An illustration is the recently emerging setting of cardiovascular safety trials in type 2 diabetes mellitus. At the first stage of such trials, if large relative increases in cardiovascular major morbidity/mortality can be ruled out, data can be released solely for the purpose of allowing regulatory decision making about marketing approval. The trial is then continued in the post-marketing setting to address the primary hypothesis regarding whether smaller relative increases can be ruled out. Active rather than passive approaches are needed to protect the integrity of cardiovascular safety trials. Given the importance to trial integrity of maintaining confidentiality of interim data such as the estimated relative effect on cardiovascular risk, a Data Access Plan should be in place in these trials to ensure such data are not revealed to study participants and their caregivers, investigators involved in trial conduct, the sponsor's management team, and the public, until trial completion. A Performance Standards Document also should be developed to pre-specify targeted and minimally acceptable levels for recruitment rate, best real-world achievable adherence, avoidance of cross-ins, and retention rate. This document should specify creative approaches for achieving these targets, oversight procedures during trial conduct to monitor performance levels, and actions to be taken if emerging data indicate minimally acceptable levels are not being reached. In settings where meaningful breaches in confidentiality have occurred, such

Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMM) are widely used in industry, throughout the Nuclear Weapons Complex and at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) to verify part conformance to design definition. Calibration cycles for CMMs at LANL are predominantly one year in length and include a weekly interim check to reduce risk. The CMM interim check makes use of Renishaw’s Machine Checking Gauge which is an off-the-shelf product simulates a large sphere within a CMM’s measurement volume and allows for error estimation. As verification on the interim check process a design of experiments investigation was proposed to test a couple of key factors (location and inspector). The results from the two-factor factorial experiment proved that location influenced results more than the inspector or interaction.

Three-dimensional (3D) modelling of plants can be an asset for creating agricultural based visualisation products. The continuum of 3D plants models ranges from static to dynamic objects, also known as smart 3D objects. There is an increasing requirement for smarter simulated 3D objects that are attributed mathematically and/or from biological inputs. A systematic approach to plant simulation offers significant advantages to applications in agricultural research, particularly in simulating plant behaviour and the influences of external environmental factors. This approach of 3D plant object visualisation is primarily evident from the visualisation of plants using photographed billboarded images, to more advanced procedural models that come closer to simulating realistic virtual plants. However, few programs model physical reactions of plants to external factors and even fewer are able to grow plants based on mathematical and/or biological parameters. In this paper, we undertake an evaluation of plant-based object simulation programs currently available, with a focus upon the components and techniques involved in producing these objects. Through an analytical review process we consider the strengths and weaknesses of several program packages, the features and use of these programs and the possible opportunities in deploying these for creating smart 3D plant-based objects to support agricultural research and natural resource management. In creating smart 3D objects the model needs to be informed by both plant physiology and phenology. Expert knowledge will frame the parameters and procedures that will attribute the object and allow the simulation of dynamic virtual plants. Ultimately, biologically smart 3D virtual plants that react to changes within an environment could be an effective medium to visually represent landscapes and communicate land management scenarios and practices to planners and decision-makers.

Periorbital hyperpigmentation (POH) is a common worldwide problem. It is challenging to treat, complex in pathogenesis, and lacking straightforward and repeatable therapeutic options. It may occur in the young and old, however the development of dark circles under the eyes in any age is of great aesthetic concern because it may depict the individual as sad, tired, stressed, and old. While "dark circles" are seen in all skin types, POH is often more commonly seen in skin of color patients worldwide. With a shifting US demographic characterized by growing number of aging patients as well as skin of color patients, we will encounter POH with greater frequency. As forecasted by the US Census, by 2030 1 in 5 Americans will be 65 plus years old and greater than 50% of the population will possess ethnic skin of color. The disparity in the medical community's understanding of POH versus popular demand for treatment is best illustrated when you have only 65 cited articles to date indexed on PubMed line compared to the 150,000,000 results on Google search engine. Most importantly POH may be a final common pathway of dermatitis, allergy, systemic disorders, sleep disturbances, or nutritional deficiences that lends itself to medical, surgical, and cosmeceutical treatments. A complete medical history with ROS and physical examination is encouraged prior to treating the aesthetic component. Sun protection is a cornerstone of therapy. Safety issues are of utmost concern when embarking upon treatments such as chemical peeling, filler injection, and laser therapy as not to worsen the pigmentation. Without intervention, POH usually progresses over time so early intervention and management is encouraged. The objective of this study was to review the current body of knowledge on POH, provide the clinician with a guide to the evaluation and treatment of POH, and to present diverse clinical cases of POH that have responded to different therapies including non-ablative fractional

To help enhance the effectiveness of college and university program reviews, practical information is provided on all aspects of the program review process. Definitions are given of the specific roles and functions of faculty, administrators, support staff, and others in the review process and how to evaluate the effectiveness of an existing…

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Interim rule. 1.05-45 Section 1... PROVISIONS Rulemaking § 1.05-45 Interim rule. (a) An interim rule may be issued when it is in the public interest to promulgate an effective rule while keeping the rulemaking open for further refinement....

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Interim rule. 1.05-45 Section 1... PROVISIONS Rulemaking § 1.05-45 Interim rule. (a) An interim rule may be issued when it is in the public interest to promulgate an effective rule while keeping the rulemaking open for further refinement....

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Interim rule. 1.05-45 Section 1... PROVISIONS Rulemaking § 1.05-45 Interim rule. (a) An interim rule may be issued when it is in the public interest to promulgate an effective rule while keeping the rulemaking open for further refinement....

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Interim rule. 1.05-45 Section 1... PROVISIONS Rulemaking § 1.05-45 Interim rule. (a) An interim rule may be issued when it is in the public interest to promulgate an effective rule while keeping the rulemaking open for further refinement....

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Interim rule. 1.05-45 Section 1... PROVISIONS Rulemaking § 1.05-45 Interim rule. (a) An interim rule may be issued when it is in the public interest to promulgate an effective rule while keeping the rulemaking open for further refinement....

... 46 Shipping 8 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Amendment of interim binders. 309.101 Section 309.101... INSURANCE § 309.101 Amendment of interim binders. The interim binder for a vessel whose stated valuation is established pursuant to this part shall be deemed to have been amended on the first day of the...

The 200 Area Interim Storage Area Technical Safety Requirements define administrative controls and design features required to ensure safe operation during receipt and storage of canisters containing spent nuclear fuel. This document is based on the 200 Area Interim Storage Area, Annex D, Final Safety Analysis Report which contains information specific to the 200 Area Interim Storage Area.

This paper presents (1) a review of national policy guidelines for the evaluation of vocational education; (2) a description and analysis of the typical responses of state and local agencies of evaluation requirements; (3) some evaluation issues that may be applicable to vocational education evaluation; and (4) suggestions for improving vocational…

This Interim Land Use Control Implementation Plan (LUCIP) has been prepared to inform current and potential future users of the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Contractors Road Heavy Equipment (CRHE) Area (SWMU 055; "the Site") of institutional controls that have been implemented at the Site1. Although there are no current unacceptable risks to human health or the environment associated with the CRHE Area, an interim institutional land use control (LUC) is necessary to prevent human health exposure to volatile organic compound (VOC)-affected groundwater at the Site. Controls will include periodic inspection, condition certification, and agency notification.

The implementation of mitigation strategies and outcomes of environmental review remains a challenge for planners and regulators. While the process and content of environmental review is clearly defined, there is often little attention to what happens after the review is completed. This paper presents the results of an evaluation of the implementation of the outcomes of environmental review, specifically mitigation measures designed to respond to environmental impacts identified in the environmental impact analysis. Drawing on previous evaluations of environmental review outcomes and plan implementation, the research provides a methodology for evaluating the implementation of mitigation efforts, points to the challenges associated with implementing the mitigation outcomes of local environmental review in planning and development processes, and identifies opportunities to integrate planning and environmental review processes.

This publication is the first interim report from the Congressionally Mandated Study of Educational Growth and Opportunity (Prospects), and describes students' characteristics and the schools they attend. Prospects is designed to evaluate the short- and long-term consequences of Chapter 1 program participation by following for 5 years large…

Identifies, evaluates and recommends interim measures for reducing or eliminating water sources and preferential pathways within the vadose zone of the single-shell tank farms. Features studied: surface water infiltration and leaking water lines that provide recharge moisture, and wells that could provide pathways for contaminant migration. An extensive data base, maps, recommended mitigations, and rough order of magnitude costs are included.

This second interim report on the feasibility of a United States changeover to a metric system stems from the U.S. Metric Study, which was authorized by Public Law 90-472, and was prepared by the National Bureau of Standards to provide a better basis for Congressional evaluation of this issue. Participating in this national survey were 55 federal…

... provided to the NRC on May 6, 2011. On September 30, 2011 (76 FR 60937), the NRC published a request for... COMMISSION Interim Staff Guidance on Aging Management Program for Steam Generators AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory... Program for Steam Generators.'' This LR-ISG provides the NRC staff's evaluation of the suitability...

... development, review, and evaluation. (a) Meeting to develop initial IFSP—timelines. For a child who has been... 34 Education 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Procedures for IFSP development, review, and evaluation... child and the child's family must be conducted every six months, or more frequently if...

... development, review, and evaluation. (a) Meeting to develop initial IFSP—timelines. For a child who has been... 34 Education 2 2011-07-01 2010-07-01 true Procedures for IFSP development, review, and evaluation... child and the child's family must be conducted every six months, or more frequently if...

Findings of a review of research pertaining to federally subsidized school nutrition programs are presented in this report. The review of research, the first phase of the National Evaluation of School Nutrition Programs, is intended to provide guidance for the design of subsequent evaluation (including student, parent, and food administrator…

The current study combined a management technique termed "Service Review" with performance scorecards to enhance staff and consumer behavior in a human service setting consisting of 11 supervisors and 56 front-line staff working with 9 adult consumers with challenging behaviors. Results of our intervention showed that service review and scorecards…

This document describes a systematic method to develop flow rate recommendations for Pump-and-Treat (P&T) extraction and injection wells in 100-KR-4 and 100-HR-3 Groundwater Operable Units (OU) of the Hanford Site. Flow rate recommendations are developed as part of ongoing performance monitoring and remedy optimization of the P&T interim actions to develop hydraulic contairnnent of the dissolved chromium plume in groundwater and protect the Columbia River from further discharges of groundwater from inland. This document details the methodology and data required to infer the influence of individual wells near the shoreline on hydraulic containment and river protection and develop flow rate recommendations to improve system performance and mitigate potential shortcomings of the system configuration in place.

The document provides an interim status report on the second phase of a Pilot Study designed to share information among countries on innovative treatment technologies. The report is divided into four parts. The first part contains abstracts of each of the technical case studies sanctioned by the Pilot Study prior to September 1994. The second part of the report contains preliminary information on 15 projects newly accepted by the Pilot Study in September 1994. The table on page 30 provides an overview of these projects. The third part contains summaries of guest presentations of general interest made at Pilot Study meetings. The fourth section of the report contains a brief description of NATO fellowships projects.

This report summarizes comments from the Peer Review Panel at the FY 2005 DOE Hydrogen Program Annual Merit Review, held on May 23-26, 2005, in Arlington, Virginia. The projects evaluated support the Department of Energy and President Bush's Hydrogen Initiative. The results of this merit review and peer evaluation are major inputs used by DOE to make funding decisions. Project areas include hydrogen production and delivery; hydrogen storage; fuel cells; technology validation; safety, codes and standards; education; and systems analysis.

This report summarizes comments from the Peer Review Panel at the FY 2006 DOE Hydrogen Program Annual Merit Review, held on May 16-19, 2006, in Arlington, Virginia. The projects evaluated support the Department of Energy and President Bush's Hydrogen Initiative. The results of this merit review and peer evaluation are major inputs used by DOE to make funding decisions. Project areas include hydrogen production and delivery; hydrogen storage; fuel cells; technology validation; safety, codes and standards; education; and systems analysis.

NASA has developed a set of 14 draft roadmaps to guide the development of space technologies under the leadership of the NASA Office of the Chief Technologist (OCT). Each of these roadmaps focuses on a particular technology area (TA). The roadmaps are intended to foster the development of advanced technologies and concepts that address NASA's needs and contribute to other aerospace and national needs. OCT requested that the National Research Council conduct a study to review the draft roadmaps, gather and assess relevant community input, and make recommendations and suggest priorities to inform NASA's decisions as it finalizes its roadmaps. The statement of task states that "based on the results of the community input and its own deliberations, the steering committee will prepare a brief interim report that addresses high-level issues associated with the roadmaps, such as the advisability of modifying the number or technical focus of the draft NASA roadmaps." This interim report, which does not include formal recommendations, addresses that one element of the study charge. NASA requested this interim report so that it would have the opportunity to make an early start in modifying the draft roadmaps based on feedback from the panels and steering committee. The final report will address all other tasks in the statement of task. In particular, the final report will include a prioritization of technologies, will describe in detail the prioritization process and criteria, and will include specific recommendations on a variety of topics, including many of the topics mentioned in this interim report. In developing both this interim report and the final report to come, the steering committee draws on the work of six study panels organized by technical area, loosely following the organization of the 14 roadmaps, as follows: A Panel 1: Propulsion and Power TA01 Launch Propulsion Systems TA02 In-Space Propulsion Technologies TA03 Space Power and Energy Storage Systems TA13

EPA conducted a peer review and public comment of the scientific basis supporting the human health hazard and dose-response assessment of ethylene oxide (cancer) that when finalized will appear on the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) database.

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) requires owners and operators of facilities that treat store, or disposal of hazardous waste (TSDFs) to obtain an operating permit. Recognizing that it would take EPA many years to issue operating permits to all RCRA facilities, Congress created ``interim status`` under Section 3005(e) of the Act. Interim status allows facilities to operate under Subtitle C of RCRA until their permits are issued or denied. This information brief defines interim status and describes how failure to meet interim status requirements may lead to loss of interim status (LOIS).

This report is a summary and analysis of comments from the Advisory Panel at the FY 2006 DOE National Laboratory Advanced Combustion, Emission Control, Health Impacts, and Fuels Merit Review and Peer Evaluation, held May 15-18, 2006 at Argonne National Laboratory. The work evaluated in this document supports the FreedomCAR and Vehicle Technologies Program. The results of this merit review and peer evaluation are major inputs used by DOE in making its funding decisions for the upcoming fiscal year.

... 12 Banks and Banking 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Interim relief. 268.505 Section 268.505 Banks and Banking FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM (CONTINUED) BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM RULES..., eligibility for a within-grade increase, or the completion of the service requirement for career tenure,...

... 40 Protection of Environment 34 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Interim provisions. 1036.150 Section... definition of spark-ignition, but regulated as diesel engines under 40 CFR part 86, must be certified to the... compression-ignition, but regulated as Otto-cycle under 40 CFR part 86 must be certified to the...

... Relating to Labor (Continued) EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION FEDERAL SECTOR EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY Remedies and Enforcement § 1614.505 Interim relief. (a)(1) When the agency appeals and the case... the complainant, decline to return the complainant to his or her place of employment if it...

This manual describes an interim electron microscope (EM) procedure for measuring the concentration of asbestos in water samples. The main features of the method include filtering the sample through a sub-micron polycarbonate membrane filter, examining an EM specimen grid in a tr...

This interim report, covering the period of September 1970 to June 1971, describes a program conducted for elementary, junior high, and senior high grades. The elementary program was designed to help students develop an understanding of occupational competence. The prevention of dropouts and individualizing instruction were concerns of the junior…

Intended for the use of curriculum developers, instructors, and others concerned with planning and conducting vocational and technical education programs, this federally funded interim report presents the results of the task inventory analysis survey conducted by the project staff in the secretarial science occupations. In order to develop a…

The purpose of this report is to identify and provide information on the waste package and disposal facility concepts to be used for the low-level waste tank interim performance assessment. Current concepts for the low-level waste form, canister, and the disposal facility will be used for the interim performance assessment. The concept for the waste form consists of vitrified glass cullet in a sulfur polymer cement matrix material. The waste form will be contained in a 2 {times} 2 {times} 8 meter carbon steel container. Two disposal facility concepts will be used for the interim performance assessment. These facility concepts are based on a preliminary disposal facility concept developed for estimating costs for a disposal options configuration study. These disposal concepts are based on vault type structures. None of the concepts given in this report have been approved by a Tank Waste Remediation Systems (TWRS) decision board. These concepts will only be used in th interim performance assessment. Future performance assessments will be based on approved designs.

This interim report summarizes the procedures and results of the Sustaining Effects Study (SES) on Compensatory Education, conducted at selected elementary schools during the 1967-77 school year. Data from the study are presented for the following findings: (1) poor and educationally needy children are the principal recipients of Compensatory…

This report presents an interim analysis by an independent commission of current moves to reform Chapter 1 of the Hawkins/Stafford Elementary and Secondary School Improvement Amendments of 1988. Chapter 1 is the largest federal assistance program to elementary school and secondary school education. The report responds to questions on strengthening…

The experimental program in remedial composition described in this interim report was designed on the assumption that students could best learn to write minimally acceptable compositions by imitating paragraph and essay models which have been divided into a series of incremental steps. The objectives of the program were to develop a heuristic…

... Relating to Labor (Continued) EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION FEDERAL SECTOR EQUAL EMPLOYMENT... interim relief. (2) Service under the temporary or conditional restoration provisions of paragraph (a)(1..., eligibility for a within-grade increase, or the completion of the service requirement for career tenure,...

This document presents an interim safety basis for the 340 Waste Handling Facility classifying the 340 Facility as a Hazard Category 3 facility. The hazard analysis quantifies the operating safety envelop for this facility and demonstrates that the facility can be operated without a significant threat to onsite or offsite people.

This document presents an interim safety basis for the 340 Waste Handling Facility classifying the 340 Facility as a Hazard Category 3 facility. The hazard analysis quantifies the operating safety envelop for this facility and demonstrates that the facility can be operated without a significant threat to onsite or offsite people.

... SUBMITTING REPORTS ON WEATHER MODIFICATION ACTIVITIES § 908.5 Interim reports. (a) Any person engaged in a weather modification project or activity in the United States on January 1 in any year shall submit to the... actual modification activities took place; (2) Number of days on which weather modification...

Describes a project initiated by the Foreign Language Department of Birmingham-Southern College for their Interim term and discusses an interdisciplinary course focusing on Medieval Europe. The course included presentations on German and French language and literature, as well as lectures on the arts, philosophy, and family life of the period.…

A bioreactor landfill is a landfill that is operated in a manner that is expected to increase the rate and extent of waste decomposition, gas generation, and settlement compared to a traditional landfill. This Second Interim Report was prepared to provide an interpretation of fie...

Along with the late Howard Freeman, Richard Berk was a founding editor of "EvaluationReview" (then "Evaluation Quarterly") in 1977. He resigned as editor of this journal at the end of 2010. In this article, he reflects on his experiences. (Contains 3 notes.)

In 2004 NASA initiated studies of advanced science mission concepts known as the Vision Missions and inspired by a series of NASA roadmap activities conducted in 2003. Also in 2004 NASA began implementation of the first phases of a new space exploration policy, the Vision for Space Exploration. This implementation effort included development of a new human-carrying spacecraft, known as Orion, and two new launch vehicles, the Ares I and Ares V rockets.collectively called the Constellation System. NASA asked the National Research Council (NRC) to evaluate the science opportunities enabled by the Constellation System (see Preface) and to produce an interim report on a short time schedule and a final report by November 2008. The committee notes, however, that the Constellation System and its Orion and Ares vehicles have been justified by NASA and selected in order to enable human exploration beyond low Earth orbit, and not to enable science missions. This interim report of the Committee on Science Opportunities Enabled by NASA s Constellation System evaluates the 11 Vision Mission studies presented to it and groups them into two categories: those more deserving of future study, and those less deserving of future study. Although its statement of task also refers to Earth science missions, the committee points out that the Vision Missions effort was focused on future astronomy, heliophysics, and planetary exploration and did not include any Earth science studies because, at the time, the NRC was conducting the first Earth science decadal survey, and funding Earth science studies as part of the Vision Missions effort would have interfered with that process. Consequently, no Earth science missions are evaluated in this interim report. However, the committee will evaluate any Earth science mission proposal submitted in response to its request for information issued in March 2008 (see Appendix A). The committee based its evaluation of the preexisting Vision Missions studies

Within the quality assurance programme of nursing in a teaching hospital in Switzerland two steps are considered to be essential: the evaluation of standards by the authors themselves (self-evaluation) and the evaluation by peers from the hospital (peer review). These evaluations are part of a decentralized model of quality assurance. This paper describes the systematic control of the standards of care over a period of two years. In particular the author reviews the development of the instruments for self-evaluation and peer review; the education and allocation of peers: the selection of standards for the control process; finally the first results of the evaluations and the ensuing measures. The author goes on to describe her experience with the instruments of control. Conformity with a preestablished policy and continuity within the group of peers are considered to be important prerequisites for the quality of the evaluations. Development and control of mainly monodisciplinary standards are considered to be a transition and preparation for an eventually interdisciplinary quality assurance programme. PMID:10578906

We present a comprehensive comparison of polar processing diagnostics derived from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Modern Era Retrospective-analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Interim Reanalysis (ERA-Interim). We use diagnostics that focus on meteorological conditions related to stratospheric chemical ozone loss based on temperatures, polar vortex dynamics, and air parcel trajectories to evaluate the effects these reanalyses might have on polar processing studies. Our results show that the agreement between MERRA and ERA-Interim changes significantly over the 34 years from 1979 to 2013 in both hemispheres and in many cases improves. By comparing our diagnostics during five time periods when an increasing number of higher-quality observations were brought into these reanalyses, we show how changes in the data assimilation systems (DAS) of MERRA and ERA-Interim affected their meteorological data. Many of our stratospheric temperature diagnostics show a convergence toward significantly better agreement, in both hemispheres, after 2001 when Aqua and GOES (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite) radiances were introduced into the DAS. Other diagnostics, such as the winter mean volume of air with temperatures below polar stratospheric cloud formation thresholds (VPSC) and some diagnostics of polar vortex size and strength, do not show improved agreement between the two reanalyses in recent years when data inputs into the DAS were more comprehensive. The polar processing diagnostics calculated from MERRA and ERA-Interim agree much better than those calculated from earlier reanalysis data sets. We still, however, see fairly large differences in many of the diagnostics in years prior to 2002, raising the possibility that the choice of one reanalysis over another could significantly influence the results of polar processing studies. After 2002, we see overall

There is lack of literature data reporting an incorporation of medication management reviews in students' interprofessional education (IPE) and practice programs in aged care settings. This pilot study reports how an interprofessional disease state and medication management review program (DSMMR) was established in a residential aged care facility in Perth, Western Australia. Students from the professions of nursing, pharmacy and physiotherapy focused on a wellness check in the areas of cognition, falls and continence while integrating a medication management review. Students' attitudes were explored using a pre- and post-placement questionnaire. Students indicated positive experience with the IPE DSMMR program which also resulted in their positive attitudinal shift towards IPE and practice. These findings indicated that aged care can be a suitable setting for student interprofessional programs focusing on DSMMR. PMID:24246025

This article critically reviews the methodologies and methods that have been used for the evaluation of physical learning environments. To contextualize discussion about the evaluation of learning spaces, we initially chart the development of post-occupancy evaluation (POE) for non-domestic buildings. We then discuss the recent evolution of POE…

This paper looks at curriculum evaluation as it operates today and proceeds to examine evaluation in the social studies as viewed by some of the well-known authors in the field. This is followed by a review of evaluation used by some of the various social studies curriculum projects and presents a number of findings. The paper, according to the…

This sequential mixed methods study analyzed how program evaluation was used to assess educational administration and examined thematic trends in educational evaluation published over 10 years (2001-2010). First, qualitative content analysis examined the articles in eight peer-reviewedevaluation journals. This analysis revealed that numerous…

The use of computer assisted instruction (CAI) at Indiana University to provide basic grammar review to beginning writing students, and the results of an evaluation of the PLATO system as a learning resource are described. At the time of the evaluation, the CAI curriculum in use was the Language Arts Routing System (LARS). The evaluation involved…

Writing tasks are one way students can apply science concepts, yet evaluating students' writing can be difficult in large classes. With the web-based Calibrated Peer Review (CPR) system, students submit written work and evaluate each other. Students write a response to a prompt, read and evaluate responses prepared by the curriculum developers, and receive feedback on their evaluations, allowing students to "calibrate" their evaluation skills. Students then evaluate their peers' work and their own work. We have used CPR for two semesters in conceptual physics courses with enrollments of ˜100 students. By independently assessing students' responses, we evaluated the CPR calibration process and compared students' peer reviews with expert evaluations. Students' scores on their essays correlate with our independent evaluations. This poster describes these findings and our experiences with implementing CPR assignments.

Program evaluation can be understood as the process of looking at how all aspects of a program or department have been functioning as the basis for informed planning and decision making. Although the objective dimensions used in evaluations can vary, methodologies can be categorized according to the four category framework (i.e., describing…

The authors discuss the Higher Education Evaluation Center, the administrative body under the auspices of the Chinese Ministry of Education responsible for organizing and conducting evaluation of baccalaureate and associate degree programs offered at different universities and colleges in China. The Center also conducts research on regulations and…

Evaluates outSPOKEN, a Windows 95 screen reader for people with visual disabilities. Evaluates the program for installation and documentation (good), Word 97 (good), WordPerfect 8.0 (less than good), and Internet Explorer and Navigator (a little less than good). Provides specific suggestions for improving performance and steps for selecting a…

Legislation has largely treated planning and evaluation in vocational education separately. There has been a history of increasing requirements in planning and evaluation and of diffusing responsibility. In addition, existing policy regarding vocational education's dominant mission shows a general lack of clarity. Such factors inhibit the linking…

... narratives/supplemental information provided by the applicants in their grant applications to evaluate, on a... successful at this second level of the evaluation, an applicant must complete the narrative section of the application package. The narrative should include a detailed description of the planned program, uses for...

This paper outlines purposes of program evaluation and provides practical information to help individuals from a wide spectrum of backgrounds use evaluation to move their program ahead in a purposeful manner. Wisely moving ahead requires an assessment of an organization's past and present as well as an examination of its assumptions about the…

Program evaluation is an important source of information to assist organizations to make "evidence-informed" decisions about program planning and development. The objectives of this study were to identify evaluated strategies used by organizations and program developers to build the program evaluation capacity of their workforce, and to describe success factors and lessons learned. Common elements for successful evaluation capacity building (ECB) include: a tailored strategy based on needs assessment, an organizational commitment to evaluation and ECB, experiential learning, training with a practical element, and some form of ongoing technical support within the workplace. ECB is a relatively new field of endeavor, and, while existing studies in ECB are characterized by lower levels of evidence, they suggest the most successful approaches to ECB are likely to be multifaceted. To build the level of evidence in this field, more rigorous study designs need to be implemented in the future. PMID:27258905

The changing role of research in curriculum development since the late 1950's is reviewed. Factors are discussed that have affected the prevailing attitudes toward research and its value, including its role in fields other than education and the mixed success with which various research and development models have met in education. Particular…

Summarizes findings of a project that reviewed eight commercial gradebook programs to determine range of features offered, e.g., menu and group organization, calculations and weighting of grades, error checking and correction, reports and printouts, documentation, and special options. Information on producer, hardware requirements, and cost is…

Ortho-Chlorobenzylidene Malononitrile (CS) is one of a number of riot control agents referred to as tear gas, although it is in fact a particulate suspension. The toxicity of this material has been studied in various detail. The purpose of this study was to review and summarize the literature data available on the toxicity of CS.

Three review courses for the Educational Council for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) examination are described. Although the courses appear to be effective, the limitations of the ECFMG examination as a screening device for foreign medical graduates make it unwise to expand the number of such courses. (Editor)

Does trauma exposure impair retrieval of autobiographical memories? Many theorists have suggested that the reduced ability to access specific memories of life events, termed overgenerality, is a protective mechanism helping attenuate painful emotions associated with trauma. The authors addressed this question by reviewing 24 studies that assessed…

FDG-PET has recently emerged as an important tool for the management of Hodgkins lymphoma. Although its use for initial staging and response evaluation at the end of treatment is well established, the place of interim PET for response assessment and subsequent treatment tailoring is still quite controversial. The use of interim PET after a few cycles of chemotherapy may allow treatment reduction for good responders, leading to lesser treatment toxicities as well as early treatment adaptation for bad responders with a potential higher chance for cure. Interpretation of interim PET is a rapidly moving field. Actually, visual interpretation is preferred over quantitative interpretation in this situation. The notion of minimal residual uptake emerged for faint persisting FDG uptake, but has evolved during the recent years. Guidelines using mediastinum and liver as references have been proposed at the expert meeting in Deauville 2009. Actually, several trials are ongoing both for localised and advanced disease to evaluate the FDG-PET potential for early treatment monitoring and tailoring. Until the results of these prospective randomized trials become available, treatment changes according to the interim PET results should remain inappropriate and limited to well-conducted clinical trials. PMID:21234093

Performance criteria for the physical facilities of universities are reviewed to establish an understanding of the principles, policies and requirements that form the basis for an organized approach to building and site planning, development, design and construction. Guidelines are given emphasizing the designer's responsibility to analyze the…

This interim final rule with comment period (IFC) implements section 231 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2016 (CAA), which provides for a temporary exception for certain wound care discharges from the application of the site neutral payment rate under the Long-Term Care Hospital (LTCH) Prospective Payment System (PPS) for certain long-term care hospitals. This IFC also amends our current regulations to allow hospitals nationwide to reclassify based on their acquired rural status, effective with reclassifications beginning with fiscal year (FY) 2018. Hospitals with an existing Medicare Geographic Classification Review Board (MGCRB) reclassification would also have the opportunity to seek rural reclassification for IPPS payment and other purposes and keep their existing MGCRB reclassification. We would also apply the policy in this IFC when deciding timely appeals before the Administrator under our regulations for FY 2017 that were denied by the MGCRB due to existing regulations, which do not permit simultaneous rural reclassification for IPPS payment and other purposes and MGCRB reclassification. These regulatory changes implement the decisions in Geisinger Community Medical Center v. Secretary, United States Department of Health and Human Services, 794 F.3d 383 (3d Cir. 2015) and Lawrence + Memorial Hospital v. Burwell, No. 15-164, 2016 WL 423702 (2d Cir. Feb. 4, 2015) in a nationally consistent manner. PMID:27101642

The Idaho Supplementation Studies (ISS) was developed to evaluate the utility of supplementation as a recovery tool for Snake River basin chinook salmon (Supplementation Technical Workgroup 1987), and to help define the potential role of supplementation in managing Idaho's anadromous fisheries (IDFG 1990; IDFG 1992). Supplementation as defined by the Regional Assessment of Supplementation Project group is the use of artificial propagation in the attempt to maintain or increase natural production while maintaining the long-term fitness of the target population (RASP 1992). Poor survival has led to the decline and continued depression of upriver chinook salmon stocks due to mainstem passage and mortality factors associated with the lower Snake and Columbia river dams. Although immediate efforts should focus on alleviating the poor passage and flow conditions, supplementation may concurrently be a viable tool to meet the Northwest Power Planning Council's interim goal of doubling anadromous fish runs in the Columbia River Basin (NPPC 1987) and avoiding short-term loss of spawning aggregates.

The purpose of this document is to provide the reviewer of a request for a sealed source or device safety evaluation with the information and materials necessary to make a determination that the product is acceptable for licensing purposes. It provides the reviewer with a listing of the applicable regulations and industry standards, policies affecting evaluation and registration, certain administrative procedures to be followed, and information on how to perform the evaluation and write the registration certificate. Standard review plans are prepared for the guidance of the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards staff responsible for the review of a sealed source or device application. This document is made available to the public as part of the Commission`s policy to inform the nuclear industry and the general public of regulatory procedures and policies. Standard review plans are not substitutes for regulatory guides or the Commission`s regulations and compliance with them is not required.

This book provides, from an international perspective, an independent analysis of major issues facing the educational evaluation and assessment framework, current policy initiatives, and possible future approaches in Luxembourg.

... INVENTIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS Awards for Scientific and Technical Contributions § 1240.106 Review and... recommend an award for such contribution when, upon evaluation of its scientific and technical merits, it...

The Systematic Evaluation Program Branch (SEPB) of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is conducting the Systematic Evaluation Program (SEP) whose purpose is to determine the safety margins of the design and operation of the eleven oldest operating commercial nuclear power plants in the United States. This paper describes the methodology and results of the operational experience review portion of the SEP evaluation. SEPB will combine the results from these operational reviews with other safety topic evaluations to perform an integrated assessment of the SEP plants.

This paper critically reviews and evaluates the implementation of School Accreditation Program for the period of 2013 with a particular reference to Central Java Schools, consisting of Kindergarten (TK) Elementary School (SD), Junior High School (SMP) and Senior High School (SMA) (Note 1). The aim of the review is to see to what extent they can…

Peer reviewers (N=70) of a psychodynamic, behavioral, or eclectic theoretical orientation evaluated one of three clinical treatment reports. Psychodynamic reviewers rated patients as more disturbed and in need of psychotherapy, and they were consistently more positive in their ratings of treatment. (Author)

This document summarizes the comments provided by peer reviewers on hydrogen and fuel cell projects presented at the FY 2010 U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Hydrogen Program and Vehicle Technologies Program Annual Merit Review and Peer Evaluation Meeting (AMR), held June 7-11, 2010 in Washington, D.C.

... DEVELOPMENT AND SELF DETERMINATION ACT Periodic Reviews § 224.135 Under what circumstances may the Director... submitted under subpart E of this part; (d) As follow-up to a determination that harm or the potential for harm to a physical trust asset, previously identified in a periodic review and evaluation, exists;...

... DEVELOPMENT AND SELF DETERMINATION ACT Periodic Reviews § 224.135 Under what circumstances may the Director... submitted under subpart E of this part; (d) As follow-up to a determination that harm or the potential for harm to a physical trust asset, previously identified in a periodic review and evaluation, exists;...

Findings of a review of research pertaining to federally subsidized school nutrition programs are presented in this report. The aim of the review of research is to provide guidance for the design of the subsequent parts of the evaluation by describing the school nutrition programs and their operations and by providing baseline information on…

... accurate; (4) how might the Department enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be... Review: New. Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 80. Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden... Submission for OMB Review; Evaluation of State Vocational Rehabilitation Agency Administration of...

Here we follow up the loading studies interim report from July 2013 and include results from laboratory studies assessing the effects of diet on eDNA shedding rates by bigheaded carps(silver and bighead carp). In order to understand how eDNA behavesin the environment, we must understand how it enters the system. In our July interim report, we addressed three of our four hypotheses that could influence the shedding rate of eDNA by these fish (Table 1; hypotheses A, B and D). We now provide results from studies that tested the fourth hypothesis (C), cellular debris from the gut-lining shed via excrementis a major source of shed eDNA.

An interdisciplinary evaluation approach was developed to analyze and compare school nutrition education programs systematically. Theoretical models from education, preventive medicine, health education and statistical evaluation were applied to 22 studies published between 1968 and 1978 to judge program impact on nutrition knowledge, behavior, and attitudes. Six studies reported XS and SDs for control and experimental groups. Effect sizes, showing average treatment effect in standard deviation units, were calculated for those six studies. It can be concluded that the more interdisciplinary criteria a study fulfills, the more likely it is to influence knowledge, behavior, and attitudes. PMID:7275638

This article provides an interim report on a two-phase study of curriculum innovation in primary schools in England during one of the most significant periods of change for the last two decades. More specifically, the study addresses the challenges to school leaders created by the Rose Review of the primary curriculum. This article presents and…

The US Department of Energy established the Commercial Waste Treatment Program to develop, demonstrate, and deploy waste treatment technology. In this report, viable methods are identified that could consolidate the volume of metallic wastes generated in a fuel reprocessing facility. The purpose of this study is to identify, evaluate, and rate processes that have been or could be used to reduce the volume of contaminated/irradiated metallic waste streams and to produce an acceptable waste form in a safe and cost-effective process. A technical comparative evaluation of various consolidation processes was conducted, and these processes were rated as to the feasibility and cost of producing a viable product from a remotely operated radioactive process facility. Out of the wide variety of melting concepts and consolidation systems that might be applicable for consolidating metallic nuclear wastes, the following processes were selected for evaluation: inductoslay melting, rotating nonconsumable electrode melting, plasma arc melting, electroslag melting with two nonconsumable electrodes, vacuum coreless induction melting, and cold compaction. Each process was evaluated and rated on the criteria of complexity of process, state and type of development required, safety, process requirements, and facility requirements. It was concluded that the vacuum coreless induction melting process is the most viable process to consolidate nuclear metallic wastes. 11 references.

... noncompliance is with a policy designated by the Secretary as covered by section 1138 of the Social Security Act... carry out her/his responsibilities under the Public Health Service Act and the Social Security Act. (b... evaluations of each member OPO and transplant hospital for compliance with these rules and OPTN policies....

Federal law (PL 94-142) has charged schools with the task of constructing for handicapped students individual educational programs that specify curriculum-based goals with procedures for measuring progress toward these goals. To demonstrate substantive and procedural compliance with this law, measurement and evaluation procedures must be…

Major problem areas in evaluating token economies for psychiatric inpatients are identified and discussed. Three categories of methodological deficiencies frequently encountered in the token economy literature are described: (1) inadequate specification of treatment procedures; (2) insufficient or inadequately described dependent measures; and (3)…

Soil vapor extraction (SVE) is a commonly used remedial technology at sites contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOC5) such as chlorinated solvents and hydrocarbon fuels. Modeling tools are available to help evaluate the feasibility, design, and performance of SVE system...

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is issuing this interim final rule to implement statutory provisions related to the Tribal title IV-E program. Effective October 1, 2009, section 479B(b) of the Social Security Act (the Act) authorizes direct Federal funding of Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, and Tribal consortia that choose to operate a foster care, adoption assistance and, at Tribal option, a kinship guardianship assistance program under title IV-E of the Act. The Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 requires that ACF issue interim final regulations which address procedures to ensure that a transfer of responsibility for the placement and care of a child under a State title IV-E plan to a Tribal title IV-E plan occurs in a manner that does not affect the child's eligibility for title IV-E benefits or medical assistance under title XIX of the Act (Medicaid) and such services or payments; in-kind expenditures from third-party sources for the Tribal share of administration and training expenditures under title IV-E; and other provisions to carry out the Tribal-related amendments to title IV-E. This interim final rule includes these provisions and technical amendments necessary to implement a Tribal title IV-E program. PMID:22242232

This paper explored concepts, definitions and theoretical perspectives evaluating clinical competence during nursing education. The questions were: (i) How is clinical competence evaluated? and (ii) What is evaluated? An integrative review of 19 original research articles from 2009 to 2013 was performed. Results showed that evaluation tools were used in 14, observations in 2 and reflecting writing in 3 studies. The students participated in all but one evaluation alone or together with peers, faculty members or preceptors. Three themes were found: (i) professional practice with a caring perspective; (ii) clinical skills and reflective practice; and (iii) cognitive, affective and psychomotor skills both with a nursing perspective. This review shows an emphasis on structured methods with a risk reducing nursing to tasks and skills why combinations with qualitative evaluations are recommended. A holistic view of competence dominated and in designing evaluations, explicit perspectives and operationalized definitions of clinical competence became evident. PMID:26369943

The purpose of the study was to assess the state of fire prevention research, provide an updated synthesis of evaluated fire prevention programs, and discuss the role of fire fighters and data systems in prevention efforts. The review included all evaluations of U.S. based fire prevention interventions published between January 1998 and September 2004 and any earlier articles about U.S. fire prevention interventions not included in two prior review articles. We retrieved information from each identified study including evaluation findings, involvement of fire service personnel and use of existing data systems. We identified twelve articles: seven reported on smoke alarm interventions, three on multi-faceted programs, and two other programs. Five programs involved fire service personnel in the design, implementation, and/or evaluation, and three used existing data systems. Studies reviewed suggest that canvassing and smoke alarm installations are the most effective means of distributing alarms and increasing the functional status of distributed alarms. The functionality of smoke alarms, an issue noted in earlier reviews, remains a problem. Programs involving partnerships with fire departments have indicated success in preventing fires and deaths, improving smoke alarm ownership and functional status, and improving children's fire safety knowledge. Using existing data systems to target and to evaluate interventions was effective. In the years since prior reviews, some improvements in the rigor of evaluation designs have been made, but there is still a need for high quality evaluations that will inform fire injury prevention efforts. PMID:16830506

This report summarizes comments from the Peer Review Panel at the FY 2007 DOE Hydrogen Program Annual Merit Review, held on May 14-18, 2007, in Washington, D.C. The projects evaluated support the Department of Energy and President Bush's Hydrogen Initiative. The results of this merit review and peer evaluation are major inputs used by DOE to make funding decisions. Project areas include hydrogen production and delivery; hydrogen storage; fuel cells; technology validation; safety, codes and standards; education; and systems analysis.

In this study, a set of 15 indicators that are used to provide information on waiting times for medical services and procedures were evaluated. Each waiting time indicator was evaluated with respect to 14 criteria and given a score. The indicator "waiting time estimated through past performance" reached the highest score with respect to all others. This indicator is calculated by dividing the total number of individuals waiting for a medical procedure by the number of procedures performed in the facility in the previous month. The result is multiplied by thirty and expressed in days. This indicator can be used even in non-computerized facilities. It allows easy data accounting (at all levels, i.e service, facility, healthcare unit, area, regional and national level) and provides useful information for citizens/users. PMID:17211958

I was asked to submit a response to the Protocol Review forum for the journal LabAnimal by Dr. Jerald Silverman. This forum request views and opinions on issues that are faced by research animal welfare committees. The particular issue is: Dr. John Smith, a distinguished investigator at Great Eastern University, had spent his career searching for a treatment for hearing loss. After 20 years of research, he developed a drug that potentially could improve auditory function after damage to the inner ear. The drug was administered by injection into the middle ear with the use of a fine needle inserted through the eardrum. Smith submitted a protocol to the IACUC to conduct a small study on cats, proposing to treat one group of animals with the drug and another with saline, to determine if it prevented the changes in the anatomy of the inner ear that normally occur with aging.

Four interim technical research memoranda are presented that describe the results of numerical simulations designed to investigate the dynamics of energetic plasma beams propagating across magnetic fields.

ERA-Interim/Land is a global land-surface reanalysis dataset covering the period 1979-2010 recently made publicly available from ECMWF. It describes the evolution of soil moisture, soil temperature and snowpack. ERA-Interim/Land is the result of a single 32-year simulation with the latest ECMWF land surface model driven by meteorological forcing from the ERA-Interim atmospheric reanalysis and precipitation adjustments based on monthly GPCP v2.1 (Global Precipitation Climatology Project). The horizontal resolution is about 80km and the time frequency is 3-hourly. ERA-Interim/Land includes a number of parameterization improvements in the land surface scheme with respect to the original ERA-Interim dataset, which makes it more suitable for climate studies involving land water resources. The quality of ERA-Interim/Land is assessed by comparing with ground-based and remote sensing observations. In particular, estimates of soil moisture, snow depth, surface albedo, turbulent latent and sensible fluxes, and river discharges are verified against a large number of site measurements. ERA-Interim/Land provides a global integrated and coherent estimate of soil moisture and snow water equivalent, which can also be used for the initialization of numerical weather prediction and climate models. Current plans for the extension and improvements of ERA-Interim/Land in the framework of future reanalyses will be briefly presented. References and dataset download information at: http://www.ecmwf.int/en/research/climate-reanalysis/era-interim/land

From early 1992 until the end of 2000, over 1,000 academic programmes in public universities in Mexico were externally evaluated by Peer Review Teams. The evaluating organisation decided, in 2001, to invite an independent group to study this exercise in order to assess the state of Mexican Higher Education. As a consequence of such revision, an…

Researchers have evaluated active support in agencies for persons with developmental disabilities to increase staff assistance and service user engagement. A systematic review identified two studies in which researchers reported three experimental evaluations of active support. Only one experiment showed a clear functional relationship between…

Although educators widely use school gardens for experiential education, researchers have not systematically examined the evaluative literature on school-gardening outcomes. The author reviewed the U.S. literature on children's gardening, taking into account potential effects, school-gardening outcomes, teacher evaluations of gardens as learning…

This paper reviews a series of Greek myths put forward as cultural narratives that could be used as metaphors or interpretative similes for explanatory and evaluative purposes in educational research and evaluation. These myths have been used in educational research literature, and most of them were found by carrying out an exhaustive search of…

Evaluation of educational programs in zoos and aquariums is a growing area of interest for researchers and professionals. In this review, the authors examine the literature that focuses on these settings. They then discuss evaluations that have been conducted in institutions accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in relation to…

This paper reviews the literature on comparing online and paper course evaluations in higher education and provides a case study of a very large randomised trial on the topic. It presents a mixed but generally optimistic picture of online course evaluations with respect to response rates, what they indicate, and how to increase them. The paper…

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is establishing a grant program (Veterans Employment Pay for Success (VEPFS)) under the authority of the U.S.C. to award grants to eligible entities to fund projects that are successful in accomplishing employment rehabilitation for Veterans with service-connected disabilities. VA will award grants on the basis of an eligible entity's proposed use of a Pay for Success (PFS) strategy to achieve goals. This interim final rule establishes regulations for awarding a VEPFS grant, including the general process for awarding the grant, criteria and parameters for evaluating grant applications, priorities related to the award of a grant, and general requirements and guidance for administering a VEPFS grant program. PMID:27529903

This progress report describes work being done at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) to assess the localized corrosion performance of container/cask materials used in the interim storage of spent nuclear fuel (SNF). Of particular concern is stress corrosion cracking (SCC), by which a through-wall crack could potentially form in a canister outer wall over time intervals that are shorter than possible dry storage times. In order for SCC to occur, three criteria must be met. A corrosive environment must be present on the canister surface, the metal must susceptible to SCC, and sufficient tensile stress to support SCC must be present through the entire thickness of the canister wall. SNL is currently evaluating the potential for each of these criteria to be met.

An overview is presented with regard to applications of visible and near infrared (Vis/NIR) spectroscopy, multispectral imaging and hyperspectral imaging techniques for quality attributes measurement and variety discrimination of various fruit species, i.e., apple, orange, kiwifruit, peach, grape, strawberry, grape, jujube, banana, mango and others. Some commonly utilized chemometrics including pretreatment methods, variable selection methods, discriminant methods and calibration methods are briefly introduced. The comprehensive review of applications, which concentrates primarily on Vis/NIR spectroscopy, are arranged according to fruit species. Most of the applications are focused on variety discrimination or the measurement of soluble solids content (SSC), acidity and firmness, but also some measurements involving dry matter, vitamin C, polyphenols and pigments have been reported. The feasibility of different spectral modes, i.e., reflectance, interactance and transmittance, are discussed. Optimal variable selection methods and calibration methods for measuring different attributes of different fruit species are addressed. Special attention is paid to sample preparation and the influence of the environment. Areas where further investigation is needed and problems concerning model robustness and model transfer are identified. PMID:26007736

Prothrombin complex concentrates (PCCs) are used mainly for emergency reversal of vitamin K antagonist therapy. Historically, the major drawback with PCCs has been the risk of thrombotic complications. The aims of the present review are to examine thrombotic complications reported with PCCs, and to compare the safety of PCCs with human fresh frozen plasma. The risk of thrombotic complications may be increased by underlying disease, high or frequent PCC dosing, and poorly balanced PCC constituents. The causes of PCC thrombogenicity remain uncertain but accumulating evidence indicates the importance of factor II (prothrombin). With the inclusion of coagulation inhibitors and other manufacturing improvements, today's PCCs may be considered safer than earlier products. PCCs may be considered preferable to fresh frozen plasma for emergency anticoagulant reversal, and this is reflected in the latest British and American guidelines. Care should be taken to avoid excessive substitution with prothrombin, however, and accurate monitoring of patients' coagulation status may allow thrombotic risk to be reduced. The risk of a thrombotic complication due to treatment with PCCs should be weighed against the need for rapid and effective correction of coagulopathy. PMID:21345266

Introduction: The aim of the present study is to review the economic burden of varicella disease and the benefit of universal varicella vaccination in different settings pending its implementation in all Italian regions. Materials and Methods: Research was conducted using PubMed, Scopus and ISI databases. Score quality and data extraction were performed for all included studies. Results: Twenty-three articles met the criteria: 15 cost-effectiveness, 8 cost-benefit and one cost-utility analysis. Varicella vaccination could save the society from €637,762 (infant strategy) to 53 million annually (combined infant and adolescent strategy). The median and the mean quality scores resulted in 91.8% and 85.4% respectively; 11 studies were considered of high quality and 12 of low quality. Discussion: The studies are favorable to the introduction of universal varicella vaccination in Italy, being cost saving and having a positive impact on morbidity. The quality score of the studies varied greatly: recent analyses were of comparable quality to older studies. PMID:23823940